| A few myths about professional membership, certification
and licensure:
Myth: When I pass the national certifying
exam, I will be licensed to practice in my state.
Reality:
Licensure is a state-regulated entity, and currently neither Delaware,
Maryland nor New Jersey have any form of licensure regarding clinical
laboratories. Pennsylvania has "facility licensure" which includes
provisions for some personnel qualifications, but is based more on the
LEVEL of testing being performed (waived, moderate complexity, high
complexity). Laboratory personnel, themselves, are NOT licensed even in
Pennsylvania.
Myth: When I
take the Board of Registry exam, and am "registered", this is the same
as a license.
Reality: Not so! Neither the Board of
Registry, nor NCA, nor ISCLT, nor ABHES, nor any other group that
provides an entry-level certifying exam has any control over licensure
since that is governed by each state. There are a few states,
like Tennessee and California, where you can get a temporary
permit to work if you are certified, but you need to take a state exam
as well to get a license. If you don't get the license, you cannot work
in the state!
Myth: When I pass the Board of Registry
exam, I become a member of ASCP.
Reality: The American Society of Clinical
Pathologists is a professional organization which has membership
categories for Physicians, Ph.D. level scientists,
technologists/technicians and students. As the name implies, it
is primarily a pathologist professional organization, with only
"Fellows" given the general right to vote regarding the overall affairs
of the Society (including Bylaws changes), or hold office. In order to
join ASCP, you must apply separately for membership, and only for the
category for which you qualify (dues current as of 6/98):
| Professionals who can apply |
Category of membership |
Dues and membership features |
| Physicians, residents (MD) |
"Fellow" |
$260: vote, hold office |
| Ph.D. |
"Clinical Scientist" |
$65: cannot vote or hold office |
| Technologists, technicians |
"Associate Member" |
$28 + yearly cost of having your name and certification
registered*: cannot directly vote on issues/Bylaws or hold
office unless you are the Associate Member Section Chair or one
other at-large board member elected by the AMS** |
| Students |
"Student Associate Member" |
$20: cannot vote or hold office |
*Certification through Board of Registry exam is permanent,
entry-level documentation of your competencies. You never need to take
the exam again, or demonstrate continued competency, to use the
certification initials after your name. Therefore, the "registry"
maintained by the BOR is not required for employment. You do not need to
pay ASCP to be able to place your certification initials after your name
throughout the rest of your career.
**The June 1998 web page for ASCP cites membership at 75,000+, which
must not include the associate member section, which records membership
at 61,000+, unless there are only 14,000 physician members. This could
mean that the majority of "members" in ASCP have only two votes on the
18 member Board of Directors. Using the dues listed above, non-voting
Associate Member Section members contribute $3 million per year.
Myth: If I am a member of ASCP, I cannot be
a member of ASCLS (or vice-versa).
Reality: Not so! Sometimes, the limitation to how many professional
societies to belong to is a matter of money! Many individuals belong to
a generalist type society and another more specialized one. All the
better for getting more benefits and networking possibilities! See below
for the "Collaborative" category of ASCLS membership.
Myth: If I pay to renew my certification
registry, receive my yearly sticker, and receive Laboratory Medicine,
I am already a member of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory
Science.
Reality: NOT SO! The registry, sticker and the journal are
associated with ASCP, and do not directly confer membership in ANY
professional organization, including ASCP or ASCLS. The only way to join
a professional association (either ASCLS, ASCP, AACC, AABB, ASM, etc.)
is to pay dues according to the membership category for which you
qualify. For ASCLS (and living in Pennsylvania), this is:
| Professionals who can apply |
Category of membership |
Dues and membership features |
| Certified laboratory professionals |
"Professional I" |
$90; receive CLS journal, vote and hold office |
| " |
"Professional II" |
$65; vote and hold office |
| Currently holds membership in any other health related
national organization |
"Collaborative" |
$25; cannot vote or hold office |
| Recent graduate from laboratory science program |
"First Year Professional" |
$50; vote and hold office |
| Student |
"Student" |
$25; vote and hold office |
Myth: Belonging to a professional
organization is one of the most important decisions I will make in my
career.
Reality: THIS IS NOT A MYTH!!!!! A professional organization
provides many tangible benefits such as continuing education
opportunities, representation of your interests before Congress,
networking with colleagues in your city, state, nation and around the
globe. You have worked long and hard to gain the knowledge needed to
succeed in this career. Now take the next step to make it a profession
by joining ASCLS. This organization is structured by laboratory
professionals, for laboratory professionals, and every one of our
members who chooses this as his/her primary professional
organization can vote on every issue, including Bylaws, and hold
office, even to the possibility of becoming the President of the
Society. This is something no Associate Member in ASCP, who belongs to
no other professional laboratory organization, can ever aspire to.
For more information about the benefits of belonging to the American
Society for Clinical Laboratory Science, and our Pennsylvania state
affiliate society, please contact any of the following members:
|
Back to
National News/Issues
ASCLS-PA Home
Page