TY - JOUR T1 - Critical Thinking as a Predictor of Certification Exam Performance in Medical Laboratory Science JF - American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science JO - Clin Lab Sci SP - 76 LP - 82 DO - 10.29074/ascls.28.2.76 VL - 28 IS - 2 AU - Brooke L. Solberg Y1 - 2015/04/01 UR - http://hwmaint.clsjournal.ascls.org/content/28/2/76.abstract N2 - The purpose of this study was to examine the value of critical thinking skills in predicting American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC) exam scores for the Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) category. Existing data for undergraduate students in an accredited MLS program during the years of 2009-2012 were examined. Specifically, scores from a Critical Thinking Exercise (CTE) administered during the application process, along with Grade Point Average (GPA), Science Grade Point Average (SGPA), and ASCP BOC exam and subsection scores were analyzed. Results suggest that the CTE is a weak to negligible predictor of ASCP BOC exam performance (r=0.113), while GPA and SGPA are stronger, statistically significant predictors (r=0.358; r=0.428; p<.05). Although critical thinking skills did not significantly predict ASCP BOC exam scores, other implications for their predictive utility exist and are discussed in light of the findings from this and other existing studies within the health professions.ABBREVIATIONS: MLS-medical laboratory science/scientist; ASCP-American Society for Clinical Pathology; BOC-Board of Certification; NAACLS-National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences; GPA-Grade Point Average; CTE-Critical Thinking Exercise; SGPA-Science Grade Point Average; NCLEX-RN-National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse ER -