AMT CMLA study guide
AMT CMLA · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Certified Medical Laboratory Assistant (CMLA) is one of the allied health credentials offered by American Medical Technologists (AMT), a not-for-profit association of allied health professionals. AMT lists the CMLA alongside its laboratory and clinical credentials such as the Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS), Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT), Molecular Diagnostics Technologist (MDT), and Registered Phlebotomy Technician (RPT). The AMT CMLA study guide has 5 sections and about 1,365 words.
01Specimen Collection and Handling
Collecting a specimen is a chain of custody of quality. Positive patient identification uses two independent identifiers-full name and date of birth or medical record number-never the room number.
291 words, about 1 min02Specimen Processing and Preparation
Processing begins at accessioning: verify the requisition matches the label, assign an accession number, and record receipt time and condition. Reject mislabeled, unlabeled, hemolyzed, clotted, or improperly transported specimens according to policy, and document the rejection and notification.
289 words, about 1 min03Waived and Point-of-Care Laboratory Testing
CLIA categorizes tests by complexity; waived tests are those cleared by the FDA for use by untrained operators, but the laboratory must still follow the manufacturer's instructions exactly, perform quality control, and maintain records. Point-of-care testing includes glucose, urine dipsticks, pregnancy hCG, rapid strep, and INR devices.
267 words, about 1 min04Laboratory Safety, Quality, and Regulatory Compliance
The OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard requires an exposure control plan, hepatitis B vaccination offer, PPE, engineering controls, and post-exposure evaluation. Wear gloves for all specimen contact, add goggles and a gown when splashing is possible, and never recap needles-drop them directly into a sharps container.
257 words, about 1 min05Patient Interaction, Communication, and Professional Practice
Professional practice begins with consent and identification. Explain the procedure in plain language, confirm understanding, and obtain consent-implied for routine venipuncture, express for special procedures.
261 words, about 1 min