Childs, Rachel and Baskette, Kim PREDICTOR VARIABLES OF MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE PROGRAM CERTIFICATION PASS RATES. 2025. Radford University, Doctoral Capstone Project. Radford University Scholars' Repository.
 |
PDF
Download (1MB) |
Abstract
A medical laboratory science (MLS) program’s certification pass rate is one of the key indicators of program rigor and quality, and helps determine how well a program cognitively prepares students to enter the laboratory workforce upon graduation. Very few studies have examined variables that predict MLS certification pass rates, and even fewer have examined this on a national level. The purpose of this secondary data analysis study was to explore and identify factors that may significantly predict an MLS program’s certification pass rate. Predictor variables analyzed in this study included: funding type, institution type, licensure, program director credentials, degree awarded, and graduation rate. Data from 254 NAACLS-accredited MLS programs were collected from the Carnegie Classification website and the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS) “Program Search” database. Graduation rate and certification pass rate data from 2022-2024 were also obtained from 248 program websites. Results indicated that institution type, degree awarded, and graduation rate were significant predictors of certification pass rates. Four-year colleges/universities and programs awarding bachelor's, master’s, or doctoral programs had significantly (p<0.001) lower certification pass rates than certificate programs and other institution types (i.e., two-year colleges/universities, academic health centers/medical schools, and hospitals). In addition, graduation rate was weakly correlated with certification pass rate (p<0.001, r = 0.218) across all MLS programs. Given that certificate programs were more likely to have higher certification pass rates than degree programs, and certificate programs are largely found in hospital-based institutions, this could imply that hospital-based institutions better prepare students for the certification exam. This study was one of the first to examine predictors of MLS certification pass rates from a national lens. Findings from this study provides insight into the factors that may contribute to a program’s certification pass rate. Future studies should explore programmatic commonalities such as GPA requirements, curriculum, class size, and exam preparation strategies among programs with high certification pass rates to determine additional significant associations.
| Item Type: | Doctoral Capstone Project |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | R Medicine > R Medicine (General) |
| Divisions: | Radford University > Waldron College of Health and Human Services |
| Date Deposited: | 20 Apr 2026 04:22 |
| Last Modified: | 05 May 2026 15:15 |
| URI: | http://wagner.radford.edu/id/eprint/1330 |
Administrative Actions
 |
View Item |
