HAMILTON ON (November 2021): The Medical Laboratory Professionals’ Association of Ontario (MLPAO) is proud to announce that it has been accepted as a program partner with Accreditation Canada, more specifically, Education Quality (EQual). As a sponsor of EQual, MLPAO will be joining 37 medical laboratory and other health professional organizations uniting to promote and support quality health professional education.
Soon, all candidates who register to challenge the MLPAO Medical Laboratory Assistant/Technician (MLA/T) Certification Exam must have graduated from an MLA/T program that is accredited (or registered to become accredited) with EQual.
“This is an excellent development,” says Michelle Hoad, MLPAO CEO. “Accreditation Canada is a high standard for quality assessment in our field. Since 1988, the MLPAO has offered a rigorous certification exam for MLA/Ts, which provides the public and employers assurance of competent, knowledgeable, and skilled health care providers who meet provincial standards. We are pleased to be taking this next step to guarantee education standardization and quality for exam candidates.”
Accreditation through EQual is a quality improvement process that ensures new professional healthcare providers are provided with quality entry-to-practice education, which prepares them for their upcoming professional journey in today’s and tomorrow’s health care environment. MLPAO has previously promoted professional excellence by providing education graduates access to its certification exam. EQual accreditation will ensure that education programs integrate the competencies required for graduates to have the best possible chance to succeed on the exam and in their new healthcare career.
“By partnering with EQual, MLPAO demonstrates that it understands the ‘real’ world impact and contributions that education accreditation can have in enhancing their profession’s workforce competency,” states Carl Damour, Director EQual and International Health Systems, Health Standards Organization (HSO). “We are excited to work with MLPAO, their education programs and our existing partners to enhance medical laboratory education in Ontario!”
With the first stage of accreditation achieved, implementation is now underway.
MLPAO: The Medical Laboratory Professionals’ Association of Ontario (MLPAO) is the provincial association for medical laboratory technologists and assistants/technicians. Incorporated in 1963, it represents over 4000 medical laboratory professionals across Ontario.
EQual: For more than 60 years, Accreditation Canada has worked with health, social and community service organizations to advance healthcare quality and safety. In 2017, Accreditation Canada was selected by a group of Canadian health professions to provide accreditation services for professional entry-to-practice education programs. As a result, the EQual standard was co-created with a working group presenting all stakeholders, including students, patients, and educational programs.
