Construction and validation of an equivalency examination for an MLT/MT career mobility curriculum.

A career mobility program in medical technology, recently developed at the University of Illinois Medical Center, Peoria, utilizes equivalency examinations to recognize professional competencies achieved by a medical laboratory technology graduate with an associate degree toward completion of a bacclaureate degree in medical technology. Four criterion-referenced examinations in clinical chemistry, clinical microbiology, hematology, and blood bank-serology were constructed by 30 medical laboratory technician (MLT) and medical technology educators from Illinois community colleges and universities in 1976-1977. A description of the development of these exams, the process of criterion referencing, the administration of the exams for norming, and the utilization of the exams by applicants of the career mobility program is presented.