Clinical Toxicologist Scientist License
Thank you for your interest in the California Clinical Toxicologist 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.
Scope of Practice
This license permits you to perform testing in all areas of the specialty of toxicology in a laboratory certified under CLIA for performing high complexity testing in the subspecialty of clinical toxicology.
Academic Requirements
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Bachelorās degree (baccalaureate) in chemistry or equivalent major.
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Official transcripts must verify the completion of 25 semester or equivalent quarter units of chemistry courses, which must include analytical chemistry or quantitative analysis.
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 ā 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 āCurrent Membersā of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), and āEndorsed Membersā 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.ā
To obtain an application, instructions, and information, visit them on the web:
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 ā PLS Program
850 Marina Bay Parkway
Bldg P, 1st Floor
Richmond, CA 94804ā
Training or Experience
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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 Programsāā link.ā
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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.
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If you lack applicable training or work experience you may want to consider applying for a
CLS trainee license.
Examinations
The
NRCC certification for toxicologist scientist is approvāed by the Department for CLS toxicologist licensure as of March 1, 2004.
Applicants who are 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 āCalifornia 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 Programsā
LFS Approved Certification Examinations
Statutes and regulations
California Business and Professions Code, Clinical Laboratory Technology, Licensing
California Code of Regulations, Title 17, Section 1031, Clinical Laboratory Specialistsā
The requirements listed may not be comprehensive.
How to Apply
Visit the LFS online application website to
create an account and submit an application.
Apply Online *You will need to pay your application fee online.
Additional Information:
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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
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Official transcript showing your baccalaureate degree.
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NACES or AICE course-by-course evaluation.
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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).
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Verification of certification examination for the license type.
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Online California quiz on state laboratory laws and regulations.
For additional information you may contact
LFSscientist@cdph.ca.gov.āāāā