Medical laboratory science course performance and grade point average as indicators of ASCP certification success: a 10-year review from an NAACLS-accredited program

Introduction Passing the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP BOC) exam is a key milestone, and this study examined its association with academic performance at Qatar University. Methods For 228 graduates attempting the ASCP BOC exam, use used χ2 tests to assess relationships between (1) performance in ASCP domains and overall exam result (pass/fail) and (2) course grades (C or above vs below C) and ASCP BOC domain performance. The correlation between grade point average (GPA) and ASCP BOC exam score was assessed using the Pearson coefficient. Results Passing any ASCP BOC domain was statistically significantly associated with passing the overall exam (all P < .001). Students who passed the overall exam demonstrated high pass rates across domains, particularly in chemistry (95.5%), hematology (84.1%), microbiology (86.0%), and blood banking (73.9%). Achieving a grade of C or higher in courses at the university was statistically significantly associated with passing the corresponding ASCP BOC domains in most cases. Graduation GPA was positively correlated with total ASCP BOC score (r = 0.652, P < .001). Discussion Academic performance at the university level is strongly associated with ASCP BOC certification success, along with other factors that influence student success. Higher graduation GPA and passing grades in core courses are strong predictors of improved ASCP BOC exam outcomes, providing early indicators by which to identify students who may benefit from targeted academic support.