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Practice Hour Guidelines to Maintain Eligibility for Licensing GUIDELINES
FOR ACCEPTABLE PRACTICE HOURS TO MAINTAIN ELIGIBILITY FOR LICENSING WITH THE SSMLT (Amended January 2000)
To maintain eligibility as a practicing member: A medical laboratory technologist must have completed one of the following in the five-year period immediately preceding the year for which the license is sought: - at least 1200 hours of practice in medical laboratory technology activities approved by the SSMLT; or - a medical laboratory technology, cytotechnology, or clinical genetics training program approved by the SSMLT; or - a medical laboratory technology, cytotechnology, or clinical genetics re-entry program approved by the SSMLT. NOTE: The SSMLT Office staff will audit 20% of the licensed members in each calendar year. Members who have not met the practice hours requirements will be required to complete the Re-entry to Practice Program while working on a Temporary License under direct supervision. Special cases/circumstances will be reviewed by the SSMLT Credentials Committee. Approved practice hours: (a) All hours worked by medical laboratory technologists in the following areas are approved by the SSMLT: - any of the medical laboratory technology disciplines - laboratory management - laboratory education programs - medical research - phlebotomy - accessioning - laboratory information systems (b) The hours worked in the areas listed in 2(a) may be worked in any of the following settings: - hospital laboratories - private laboratories - provincial laboratories - medical clinics - research laboratories - physicians' office laboratories - wellness centres - specimen collection centres - blood transfusion agencies - veterinary medicine laboratories - training institutions Continuing education: Continuing education (CE) credits may be converted to approved practice hours to a maximum of 240 practice hours in each five year period (1.0 CE credit is equivalent to 80 practice hours). Courses/programs which are submitted for conversion to approved practice hours must be accredited by either the CSMLS or the SSMLT. Documentation of successful completion of the course/program is required. Hours worked in industrial laboratories: Medical laboratory technologists who work in industrial laboratories shall be required to obtain: - the equivalent of 240 practice hours through the completion of accredited CE courses/programs related to the general laboratory disciplines; or, 240 approved practice hours in a medical laboratory; and - a minimum of 960 practice hours in an industrial laboratory. Volunteer hours: Unpaid hours worked performing medical laboratory technology activities as listed in 2(a) above will be eligible for approved practice hours. Volunteer hours must be documented on the appropriate form (available from the SSMLT Office) and must be evaluated by the Credentials Committee. Councils/Committees/Commissions/Boards: Upon advance written request, a maximum of 120 approved practice hours in a five-year period may be obtained from representing the medical laboratory profession on the following: - SSMLT Council or Committees - CSMLS Boards or Committees - Workplace Boards or Committees - Government Boards or Committees - Union Boards or Committees The hours spent on these activities must be documented on the appropriate form (available from the SSMLT Office). Continuing professional medical technology education: Approved practice hours can be recognized in the following situations: - Full time study toward a degree in Medical Laboratory Science is recognized as being equivalent to full time medical laboratory technology practice hours. - Part time study toward a degree in Medical Laboratory Science is recognized as being equivalent to 80 practice hours per credit. - Full time study toward other related degrees will be assessed on an individual basis for approved practice hours. Requests for recognition of medical laboratory technology activities not listed above: Medical laboratory technologists working in activities other than those specifically identified, e.g. technical sales/service representatives, laboratory aides/assistants, laboratory licensing program, etc. must have their job duties assessed in order to determine approved practice hours. Written requests to review the acceptability of practice hours will be considered on an individual basis by the Credentials Committee. The Committee will review, but not be limited to, the following information: - Job description - Job qualifications - Advertisement for the position - Relevance of activities to the practice of medical laboratory technology - Evidence of congruence between the medical laboratory technology - Activities involved in the position and the official job description |
