2014 Rhode Island General Laws
Title 23 - Health and Safety
Chapter 23-16.3 - Clinical Laboratory Science Practice
Section 23-16.3-8 - Standards for licensure.

§ 23-16.3-8 Standards for licensure. – (a) Clinical laboratory scientist (technologist). The department of health shall issue a clinical laboratory scientist's license to an individual who meets the qualifications developed by the board, including at least one of the following qualifications:

(1) A baccalaureate degree in clinical laboratory science (medical technology) from an accredited college or university whose curriculum included appropriate clinical education;

(2) A baccalaureate degree in biological, chemical, or physical science from an accredited college or university, and subsequent to graduation has at least twelve (12) months of appropriate clinical education in an accredited clinical laboratory science program;

(3) A baccalaureate degree which includes a minimum of thirty-six (36) semester (or equivalent) hours in the biological, chemical, and physical sciences from an accredited college or university plus two (2) years of full-time work experience including a minimum of four (4) months in each of the four (4) major disciplines of laboratory practice (clinical chemistry, clinical microbiology, hematology, immunology/immunohematology); or

(4) A baccalaureate degree consisting of ninety (90) semester (or equivalent) hours, thirty-six (36) of which must be in the biological, chemical, or physical sciences, from an accredited university, and appropriate clinical education in an accredited clinical laboratory science program.

(5) A clinical laboratory scientist (technologist) who previously qualified under federal regulatory requirements such as 42 CFR § 493.1433 of the March 14, 1990 federal register or other regulations or criteria which may be established by the board.

(b) Clinical laboratory technician. The department of health shall issue a clinical laboratory technician's license to an individual who meets the qualifications promulgated by the board, including at least one of the following qualifications:

(1) An associate degree or completion of sixty (60) semester (or equivalent) hours from a clinical laboratory technician program (MLT or equivalent) accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education that included a structured curriculum in clinical laboratory techniques;

(2) A high school diploma (or equivalent) and (i) completion of twelve (12) months in a technician training program in an accredited school such as CLA (ASCP) clinical laboratory assistant (American Society of Clinical Pathologists), and MLT-C medical laboratory technician-certificate programs approved by the board; or (ii) successful completion of an official military medical laboratory procedure course of at least fifty (50) weeks duration and has held the military enlisted occupational specialty of medical laboratory specialist (laboratory technician); or

(3) A clinical laboratory technician who previously qualified under federal regulatory requirements such as 42 CFR § 493.1441 of the March 14, 1990 federal register which meet or exceed the requirements for licensure set forth by the board.

(c) Clinical histologic technician. The department of health shall issue a clinical histologic technician license to an individual who meets the qualifications promulgated by the board, including at least one of the following:

(1) Associate degree or at least sixty (60) semester hours (or equivalent) from an accredited college/university to include a combination of mathematics and at least twelve (12) semester hours of biology and chemistry, and successfully complete an accredited program in histologic technique or one full year of training in histologic technique under the supervision of a certified histotechnologist or an appropriately certified histopathology supervisor with at least three (3) years experience.

(2) High school graduation (or equivalent) and two (2) years full time acceptable experience under the supervision of a certified/licensed clinical histologic technician at a licensed clinical laboratory in histologic technique.

(d) Cytotechnologist. The department of health shall issue a cytotechnologist license to an individual who meets the qualifications promulgated by the board including at least one of the following:

(1) A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with twenty (20) semester hours (30 quarter hours) of biological science, eight (8) semester hours (12 quarter hours) of chemistry, and three (3) semester hours (4 quarter hours) of mathematics and successful completion of a twelve (12) month cytotechnology program.

(2) A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with twenty (20) semester hours (30 quarter hours) of biological science, eight (8) semester hours (12 quarter hours) of chemistry, and three (3) semester hours (4 quarter hours) of mathematics and five (5) years full time acceptable clinical laboratory experience including cytopreparatory techniques, microscopic analysis, and evaluation of the body systems within the last ten (10) years. At least two (2) of these years must be subsequent to the completion of the academic component and at least two (2) years must be under the supervision of a licensed physician who is a pathologist, certified, or eligible for certification, by the American Board of Pathology in anatomic pathology or has other suitable qualifications acceptable to the board.

(3) A cytotechnologist who previously qualified under federal regulatory requirements such as 42 CFR § 493.1437 of the March 14, 1990 federal register.

(e) The board shall recommend standards for any other clinical laboratory science practitioners specializing in areas such as nuclear medical technology, radioimmunoassay, electron microscopy, forensic science, molecular biology, or similar recognized academic and scientific disciplines with approval of the director of health.

History of Section.
(P.L. 1992, ch. 97, § 1; P.L. 2008, ch. 475, § 47.)