Clinical Genetic Molecular Biologist Scientist License

Thank you for your interest in the California Clinical Genetic Molecular Biologist Scientist license. Laboratory Field Services (LFS) requires applicants to submit documentation of academic coursework, clinical training, and work experience to qualify for licensure.

Work experience in California as an unlicensed laboratory staff person will not be accepted as qualification toward any clinical laboratory license. Please note that biotech/pharmaceutical, forensic, academic, veterinary, research, and student laboratory experience cannot count as work experience or training for any clinical license. Experience performing clinical laboratory tests limited to infectious diseases such as COVID-19 will not be accepted as qualification toward this license.

Scope of Practice

• This license pertains to the diagnosis of human genetic disorders. In addition, a person licensed as a clinical genetic molecular biologist scientist may use molecular biology techniques to perform a clinical laboratory test or examination for the detection of any disease affecting humans.
  

• This license permits you to perform testing in clinical genetic molecular biology in a laboratory certified under CLIA for performing high complexity testing in clinical molecular genetic biology.
  

Academic Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (baccalaureate) or an equivalent higher degree in a biological or clinical laboratory science, or field related to genetics.
  

Transcripts

Laboratory Field Services Personnel Licensing Section requires you to provide your official transcript from an accredited institution in order to review and determine your education and course qualifications. To be considered official, transcripts must be signed by the school registrar, indicate date of graduation and degree awarded, and postal mailed to LFS in a sealed envelope directly from the source. We do not accept scanned or photocopies of transcripts uploaded or emailed by the applicant for authentication purposes. If your transcript is under a different last name, you must upload legal proof of name change to associate the name discrepancy.

Mail the official transcripts to:

Laboratory Field Services – PLS Program

850 Marina Bay Parkway

Bldg P, 1st Floor

Richmond, CA 94804

Non-US transcripts

All non-U.S. transcripts must be evaluated by an LFS approved evaluation service to determine if your education is equivalent to an accredited college or university education in the U.S. LFS will accept educational transcript evaluations by “Current Members” of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), and “Endorsed Members” of the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE) if completed on or after August 15, 2016. Evaluations completed before August 15, 2016 will only be accepted if completed by AACRAO. The evaluation service will send an evaluation of your educational institution and academic courses directly to LFS Official transcript from the university is required in addition to the evaluation.

To obtain an application, instructions, and information, visit them on the web:

• National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES)

• Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE)

If you are an applicant whose education, training, or experience is from a non-U.S. school, college, university, or clinical laboratory, please make sure that your name is printed in English on all your transcripts and supporting documents and that it matches your name on the application.

Request the evaluation company to postal mail the evaluation directly to:

Laboratory Field Services – PLS Program

850 Marina Bay Parkway

Bldg P, 1st Floor

Richmond, CA 94804

Training or Experience

• Minimum one year of post-baccalaureate training or minimum one year of work experience in clinical genetic molecular biology in a clinical laboratory certified under CLIA by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), performing high complexity testing in clinical genetic molecular biology. On or after March 14, 2003, this training shall be approved by the department pursuant to Section 1035.

  OR
  Minimum one year of work experience.

• Training or work experience must be in a laboratory certified under CLIA (usually in the U.S.) and acceptable to the Department. For a list of training programs approved by the Department, see CLS Training Programs link.
  

• Official verification of training or work experience must be on letterhead and signed by the training coordinator or laboratory director, and must show the beginning and ending dates of the training or experience. This information should cover all areas in which the rotation was completed with a description of the clinical laboratory tests or examinations performed. Document can be uploaded during the online application process.
  

• If you lack applicable training or work experience you may want to consider applying for a CLS trainee license.
  

Examinations 

The following certifying organizations are approved by the Department for the CLS genetic molecular biologist licensure examination:

• The NCA certification for clinical genetic molecular biologist scientist is approved by the Department for CLS genetic molecular biologist licensure before October 23, 2009.

• The ASCP certification for Technologist in Molecular Biology is approved by the Department for CLS genetic molecular biologist licensure on or after October 23, 2009.

• Applicants who are ASCP certified before the above date must re-take the certifying examination. Please note that the International ASCP Certification version is not acceptable. The U.S. Certification is required for this license.

Failure to pass the written certification examination two times requires a waiting period of one year before taking the exam again. A third failure requires a two year wait. Thereafter, the examination may not be taken more frequently than once in two years.

Applicants will also have to complete the online California quiz on state laboratory laws and regulations. During the application submission process, you will automatically be required to take and pass the online California Quiz on state laboratory laws and regulations.

Renewal

Once you receive your license you will need to renew it every two years. To renew, you must pay a fee and submit documentation of continuing education. For information about the renewal process please visit the LFS renewal web page.

Resources

Helpful links

CLS Training Programs

LFS Approved Certification Examinations

Statutes and regulations

California Business and Professions Code, Clinical Laboratory Technology, Licensing

California Code of Regulations, Title 17, Section 1031.3, Clinical Genetic Molecular Biologist Scientists

The requirements listed may not be comprehensive.

How to Apply

Visit the LFS online application website to create an account and submit an application.

Additional Information:

• Official verification of training or work experience must be on letterhead and signed by the training coordinator or laboratory director, and must show the beginning and ending dates of the training or experience. This information should cover all areas in which the rotation was completed with a description of the clinical laboratory tests or examinations performed.

• Applicants are automatically required to take and pass the online California Quiz on state laboratory laws and regulations during the application submission process. 
  

*Incomplete application packages may be considered abandoned. All applicants whose applications have been abandoned who wish to re-apply must pay a new non-refundable application fee.

Documents you may need for your application

• Official transcript showing your baccalaureate degree.

• NACES or AICE course-by-course evaluation.

• Verification of one year of post-baccalaureate training.
  OR
  Verification of one year of on-the-job experience in a clinical laboratory (signed by the CLIA laboratory director).

• Verification of certification examination for the license type.

• Online California quiz on state laboratory laws and regulations.
  

For additional information you may contact LFSscientist@cdph.ca.gov.​