Around the World in 80 Years
To commemorate ASCP Board of Registry’s 80th Anniversary, we invite you to travel with us through time as we take you back to the humble beginnings of the early years and ultimately around the world as the Board of Registry grows into an organization with a global focus.
The timeline highlights the evolution of ASCP BOR certification and the influence of laboratorians who have shaped our certification processes from the 1920s to present day. Today, the ASCP BOR is widely recognized as the preeminent clinical certification agency serving laboratory professionals. The future is bright and the ASCP BOR will continue to meet the challenges ahead.
Although we celebrate our successes every year and are continually looking for ways to drive our innovation forward, this year, our 80th Anniversary is the perfect opportunity to look back over the past few decades and celebrate how far we’ve come. From new examinations and qualifications to new office locations and international certifications, it all happened beginning with the...
1920s – Recognizing a Need and Establishing a Registry
1922 American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) is formed.
1926 ASCP Committee on Registration of Technicians creates rules and regulations for governance of a registry. First report from the Committee on Registration of Technicians was presented by Dr. Kano Ikeda at the New Willard Hotel, Washington, DC, May 23.
1928 ASCP Board of Registry is officially established called the “Registration Bureau for Technicians”. The first chair is Phillip Hillkowitz, MD (1928-1940).
1930s – The Early Exam and Curriculum Development
1930 First ASCP BOR certificate is issued to Paul H. Adams of Fort Wayne, Indiana. 1931 ASCP BOR institutes the use of initials "MT" (Medical Technician) and "LT" (Laboratory Technician) after the registrant's name. Medical Technologist (MT) certification established.
1933 All registry applicants are required to take a written and practical examination. Exams are 50% oral/practical, 25% written, and 25% personal/psychological. The examination fee is $10.00. Of the 66 applicants who take the first nation-wide examination, 56 pass.
1934 First separate meeting of Registry of Technicians (BOR) held in Cleveland, OH.
1935 Becomes apparent that the uniformity of grading cannot be accomplished by several scattered examiners. First official examiner, Dr. A.W. Freshman, appointed. The ASCP BOR decides to give title Medical Technologist (MT) automatically to those certified Laboratory Technicians with college degrees.
1936 Title Laboratory Technician is discontinued and all subsequent registrants designated Medical Technologists. American Medical Association publishes the first AMA list of “Accredited Schools for Clinical Laboratory Technicians.”
1938 ASCP BOR is 10 years old and has certified 4,465 technologists. The Registry of Medical Technologists replaces Registry of Technicians.
1939 ASCP BOR publishes "Curriculum for Schools of Medical Technology," and plans a national program of seminars with state boards of health and medical schools.
1940s – Recruitment and Growth
1940 Use of MT(ASCP) with brackets is begun. Lall G.Montgomery, MD (1940-1964) becomes second chair of the Board of Registry.
1946 Another medical technologist is added to the ASCP Advisory Committee of Medical Technologists, thus increasing MT representatives to six.
1948 Becomes apparent to the ASCP BOR that essay-type examinations are too slow and cumbersome. A switch is made to only true/false and multiple choice questions. Technologist in Chemistry (C), Technologist in Microbiology (M), Histotechnician (HT) certifications established.
1949 ASCP BOR moves to machine analysis for its grading system and begins to provide schools of medical technology with detailed statistical information about their teaching programs.
1950s – New Specialist Certifications
1953 Specialist in Microbiology (SM) certification established.
1954 Specialist in Blood Banking (SBB) and Specialist in Chemistry (SC) certifications established.
1956 Second or interim meeting of the ASCP BOR is added due to increased work volume.
1957 Cytotechnologist (CT) certification established.
1959 Specialist in Cytotechnology (SCT) certification established.
1960s – Higher Standards
1962 ASCP BOR moves into new quarters in Muncie, Indiana and increases staff to 34. ASCP BOR standards rise so that, as of 1962, all medical technologists must have at least three years of college training, with suitable science courses for entrance into an acceptable school.
1964 ASCP BOR discontinues the Laboratory Aide certification for its new Certified Laboratory Assistant (CLA), the second generalist level certification for the ASCP.
1965 Willington B. Stewart, MD becomes third chair of the Board of Registry (1965-1967).
1968 George P. Vennart, MD serves as Chair of the Board of Registry (1968-1972). Specialist in Hematology (SH) certification established.
1969 ASCP BOR office moves to 710 South Walcott Street, Chicago, IL. Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) certification established.
1970s – Examination Content Guidelines
1970 ASCP’s Commission on Laboratory Personnel Newsletter is published to improve communications with Program Directors and Educators of the nearly 1200 accredited programs in the US.
1971 ASCP BOR moves to ASCP national headquarters, 2100 West Harrison Street, Chicago, IL. Technologist in Hematology (H) certification established.
1972 Donald E. Brown, MD becomes Board of Registry chair (1972-1975).
1974 ASCP BOR develops the first “Examination Content Guidelines” to define three categories of certification: Medical Technologist (MT), Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT), Certified Laboratory Assistant (CLA).
1975 Certificate number 100,000 granted to Harry Watkins, MT(ASCP), Berkeley, CA. Mrs. Betty R. Murphy, M.Ed., MT (ASCP) unanimously elected Chair, the first time a medical technologist holds this post (1975-1976).
1976 John Green, MD serves as Chair of the Board of Registry.
1977 ASCP Board of Directors determines that the ASCP BOR should be administratively independent in matters related to certification.
1978 ASCP BOR is celebrates its fiftieth (golden) anniversary in St. Louis, MO.
1979 Barbara M. Castleberry, MA, MT(ASCP) becomes the Board of Registry Chair (1979-1981)
1980s – Wage & Vacancy Survey
1980 Histotechnologist (HTL) and Technologist in Immunology (I) certifications established.
1981 ASCP hires first full-time Vice President of the BOR – Barbara Marshall Castleberry, Ph.D., MT (ASCP). D. Anne Thompson, MT(ASCP)SH is Chair of the Board of Registry (1981-1983).
1982 ASCP BOR converts from norm-referenced to absolute standard pass-fail determination. Katina S.F. Cable, MT(ASCP), Charlotte, NC, receives 200,000th certificate. Specialist in Immunology (SI) certification established.
1983 Technologist in Blood Banking (BB) certification established.
1984 Harriet B. Rolen, MT(ASCP) serves as Chair of the Board of Registry (1984-1986).
1986 Associate Member Section (AMS) founded.
1987 Paul J. Cherney, MD becomes the next Board of Registry Chair (1987-1991).
1988 ASCP BOR conducts first Wage and Vacancy Survey.
1989 Phlebotomy Technician (PBT) and Diplomate in Laboratory Management (DLM) certifications established.
1990s – Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT)
1991 ASCP grants certificate number 300,000 granted to Kim Wrainwright, MT(ASCP), Knoxville, IL.
1992 Steven D. Wright, MT(ASCP) assumes Chair of the Board of Registry (1992-1993).
1993 Concept of “Qualification” established to recognize an individual’s knowledge and skill in highly technical areas using parameters other than criterion-referenced examinations. Qualification in Cytometry (QCYM) established. Hemapheresis Practitioner (HP) certification established.
1994 ASCP BOR examinations convert to Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT). John R. Snyder, MT(ASCP) serves as Chair of the Board of Registry (1994-1995). Qualification in Immunohistochemistry (QIHC) qualification established.
1996 Joel M. Shilling, MD becomes Chair of the Board of Registry (1996-1997). Qualification in Point of Care Testing Evaluator (QPOCTE) qualification established.
1998 Peggy Simpson, MS, MT(ASCP) serves as Chair of the Board of Registry (1998-2000). Specialist in Virology (SV) certification established.
1999 ASCP hires new Vice President, ASCP BOR - Kory Ward-Cook, PhD, MT(ASCP), CAE.
2000s – A Global Focus
2000 Specialist in Laboratory Safety (SLS) certification established.
2001 Margaret Daniels, MA, MT(ASCP)SC becomes the Board of Registry Chair (2001-2002). Slogan adapted: “ASCP Certification - The Standard of Excellence.”
2002 Current mission statement adopted: “The Board of Registry promotes the health and safety of the public by certifying competent laboratory professionals and maintaining a registry of certificants.” The ASCP changes its name to the American Society for Clinical Pathology.
2003 Seventy-fifth (diamond) anniversary, ASCP BOR, New Orleans, LA. JoAnne Edwards, M.Ed., MT(ASCP) serves as Chair of the Board of Registry (2003). Technologist in Molecular Pathology (MP), Donor Phlebotomy Technician (DPT) and Apheresis Technician (AT) certifications established. Qualification in Laboratory Compliance (QLC) and Qualification in Laboratory Information (QLI) qualifications established. PBT(ASCP) certification approved for the purpose of California Licensure.
2004 January 2004, the Board of Registry implements the Certification Maintenance Program (CMP), requiring participation in continuing education activities every three years for those newly certified to maintain ASCP certification. Patricia Ellinger, MSEd, MT(ASCP)SBB elected Chair of the Board of Registry (2004-2006). Monthly eLinks for Program Directors starts. Application deadline dates for examinations eliminated.
2005 E. Blair Holladay, PhD, SCT(ASCP)CM appointed the Executive Director. ASCP BOG approves the credential “ASCPi” for international examinations. MT(ASCPi) and MLT(ASCPi) are the first international examinations established. Pathologists Assistant, PA(ASCP), certification established. 400,000th certificant honored – Lisa McWilliams, MT(ASCP). Conjoint certification for Technologist in Microbiology (M) and Specialist in Microbiology (SM) with American College of Microbiology.
2006 ASCP BOR office moves from 2100 West Harrison Street, Chicago, IL to the Chicago downtown “Loop”, 33 W. Monroe St, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL. South Korea becomes the first country approved for international certification; followed by the Philippines. International version of the Molecular Pathology, MP(ASCPi) examination established. Cynthia S. Johns, MSA, MT(ASCP)SH elected Chair of the Board of Registry (2006-present). MT(ASCP) certification examination approved for the purposes of California Licensure.
2007 ASCP BOR achieves American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accreditation. MLT(ASCP), MT(ASCPi) and California MLT (CMLT) certification examinations approved for the purposes of California Licensure. MT(ASCP), MLT(ASCP), CT(ASCP) accepted as the sole provider of New York State licensure exams. Hong Kong, Panama and Guyana recognized as approved countries for international certification. International version of the Phlebotomist Technician, PBT(ASCPi) examination established. ASCP BOR approves scholarship program for international applicants from resource-limited countries. HT/HTL practical examinations eliminated.
2008 M(ASCP), SM(ASCP), C(ASCP), and SC(ASCP) certification examinations approved for the purposes of California Licensure.