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MT(AAB) Generalist Examination: Practice Questions

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MT(AAB) Generalist Examination: Practice Questions

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About these practice questions

These practice questions will help you prepare for the MT(AAB) Generalist exam.

This practice test contains 600 practice questions covering the six sections of the MT(AAB) Generalist exam:

  1. Basic Knowledge
  2. Chemistry
  3. Microbiology
  4. Hematology
  5. Immunology
  6. Immunohematology

All questions have been carefully designed to reflect the questions on the real exam, to help you prepare and get a passing grade.

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Sample practice questions

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Section 1: Basic Knowledge

1) How many grams of sodium chloride are needed to make 300 mL of a 2% m/v solution?
  1. 2 g
  2. 4 g
  3. 6 g
    The concentration formula is: concentration = mass/volume This can be rearranged as: mass = concentration × volume Inserting the values from the question into the formula: mass = 2% × 300 mL mass = 0.02 × 300 mL mass = 6 g
  4. 20 g
2) What is the formula for calculating a percent w/v solution?
  1. (solute mass / solution mass) × 100
  2. (solute mass / solution volume) × 100
    w/v stands for weight/volume. Weight refers to the weight (or mass) of the solute, and volume refers to the final volume of the solution. w/v is used for solids dissolved in liquid.
  3. (solution volume / solute mass) × 100
  4. (solution volume / solute volume) × 100
3) A lab assistant is preparing a serial dilution with eight tubes. The first tube contains a 1/2 dilution. The lab assistant dilutes each following tube to half the concentration of the previous tube. What is the dilution in the eighth tube?
  1. 1/128
  2. 1/256
    If the first tube has a dilution factor of 1/2 and each subsequent tube doubles the dilution, then the series continues as follows:
    • Second tube: 1/4
    • Third tube: 1/8
    • Fourth tube: 1/16
    • Fifth tube: 1/32
    • Sixth tube: 1/64
    • Seventh tube: 1/128
    • Eighth (final) tube: 1/256
    A faster way to calculate this is to multiply 2 by itself eight times (2×2×2×2×2×2×2×2 or 2⁸), the result of which is 256.
  3. 1/512
  4. 1/1024
4) A lab technician adds 0.2 mL of a stock solution to 3.8 mL of diluent. What is the dilution factor?
  1. 4
  2. 5
  3. 19
  4. 20
    To solve this question, we must use the dilution factor formula: dilution factor = final volume/initial volume We know the initial volume is 0.2 mL, but we do not know the final volume. We can calculate the final volume by adding the initial volume of the solution to the volume of the diluent: 0.2 mL + 3.8 mL = 4.0 mL Now that we know the final volume, we can enter the values into the formula to calculate the dilution factor: dilution factor = final volume/initial volume dilution factor = 4.0/0.2 dilution factor = 20
5) Which of the following should be included in an employee's personnel file?
  1. Most recent vacation destination
  2. Performance reviews
    Employee personnel files typically contain documents such as hiring records, performance reviews, disciplinary actions and job descriptions.
  3. Political affiliation
  4. Web addresses of the employee's social media profiles
6) What is the negative log of hydrogen ion concentration known as?
  1. SG
  2. pH
    pH is the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration.
  3. pKa
  4. the T/S constant
7) Which of these is a zero error?
  1. A blood sample missing a label
  2. A lab technician forgetting a zero when performing a calculation
  3. A thermometer registering 102°C in boiling water instead of 100°C
  4. Scales that give a reading of 1.1 g when nothing is placed on them
    A zero error occurs when a measuring instrument should read zero but gives a reading other than zero instead. Scales that give a reading of 1.1 g when nothing is placed on them are an example of a zero error, because scales should give a reading of zero when nothing is placed on them.
8) Which of these is a post-analytical error?
  1. A hemolyzed specimen
  2. An empty collection tube
  3. Incorrect information on the test request
  4. Results reported in the wrong units
    Post-analytical errors occur after the specimen has been analyzed. Reporting results in the wrong units is a post-analytical error, because it occurs after the specimen has been analyzed.
9) Which of these situations would cause random errors?
  1. Reading liquid volumes from different angles
    Random errors come from unpredictable changes and cause measurements to differ each time. A lab assistant who reads the volume in flasks at a different angle every time is an example of a random error. The other options cause systematic errors, not random errors. Systematic errors affect measurements by the same amount every time.
  2. Using a balance that was not zeroed before use
  3. Using a scale that always reads 10 g too low
  4. Using a thermometer that always reads 2°C too high
10) What is the term for when readings become consistently lower or higher over time?
  1. Calibration
  2. Drift
    Drift occurs when successive readings become consistently lower or higher over time. Electronic equipment tends to be susceptible to drift.
  3. Offset error
  4. Unpredictability
11) Which of these is a pre-analytical error?
  1. Calculating test results incorrectly
  2. Interpreting results incorrectly
  3. Mislabeling a blood specimen
    Pre-analytical errors happen before analysis in the laboratory. Mislabeling a blood specimen would occur during this stage.
  4. Reporting a result on the wrong patient
12) Random error mainly affects:
  1. accuracy
    Systematic error, not random error, mainly affects accuracy.
  2. external validity
  3. internal validity
  4. precision
    Random errors shift each measurement from its true value by a random amount and in a random direction. These errors reduce precision (how close the measurements are to each other).
13) What kind of chart is a graphical presentation of run-to-run or day-to-day quality control values?
  1. Eadie-Hofstee
  2. Hanes-Woolf
  3. Levey-Jennings
    A Levey-Jennings chart is a graphical tool used in quality control to check if laboratory tests are working properly. The x-axis represents the sequence of control runs. The y-axis shows each control result, with the mean and SD lines marked on the chart, making it easy to see how far off each result was from the mean.
  4. Lineweaver-Burk
14) Where would you find the instructions for running quality controls for a specific assay?
  1. Laboratory quality manual
    A laboratory quality manual contains policies and procedures that support the laboratory's quality management system. It would not have detailed instructions for running assays.
  2. Safety data sheet
  3. Safety manual
  4. Standard operating procedure
    Standard operating procedures (SOPs) provide detailed step-by-step instructions for conducting specific laboratory tests or procedures, including the use of quality controls.
15) Which federal agency provides calibration services for thermometers?
  1. American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC)
  2. American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA)
  3. Department of Energy (DOE)
  4. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
    NIST offers calibration services for various instruments, including thermometers.
16) The systematic monitoring and evaluation of the entire laboratory testing process is an aspect of:
  1. corporate compliance
  2. critical thinking
  3. quality assurance
    Quality assurance helps ensure that processes produce reliable and accurate results. In laboratories, quality assurance involves monitoring, evaluating, and improving the entire testing process, from sample collection to final reporting.
  4. risk management
17) Which picture demonstrates high precision but low accuracy?
  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
  4. D
    Picture A shows low precision (the dots are far apart) and high accuracy (the dots are close to the center). Picture B shows high precision (the dots are close together) and high accuracy (the dots are close to the center). Picture C shows low precision (the dots are far apart) and low accuracy (the dots are far from the center). Picture D shows high precision (the dots are close together) and low accuracy (the dots are far from the center).
18) If the same test is repeated several times and always gives the same result, the test is:
  1. accurate
  2. reliable
    Reliability is how consistent the measurements are. If you measure the same thing many times, the test is reliable if the measurements are always the same.
  3. valid
  4. variable
19) How is diagnostic sensitivity calculated?
  1. False negatives / (false negatives + true positives)
  2. False positives / (false positives + true negatives)
  3. True negatives / (true negatives + false positives)
  4. True positives / (true positives + false negatives)
    Diagnostic sensitivity is the ability of a test to identify people with a certain disease (true positives). The equation to calculate diagnostic sensitivity is: true positives/(true positives + false negatives)
20) Which of these best meets the definition of proficiency testing?
  1. Inspections to prevent work-related accidents
  2. Testing for illegal drugs in a biological sample
  3. Tests to ensure workers have the skills and knowledge to perform their jobs
  4. The testing of unknown samples sent to the laboratory
    Proficiency testing is when a program sends unknown samples to laboratories to test. The labs return their results, which the program then grades. This helps labs check if their testing methods are accurate.

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About the MT(AAB) Generalist exam

What is the MT(AAB) Generalist exam?

The MT(AAB) Generalist examination is for people seeking certification as medical technologists. The exam is set by the AAB Board of Registry (ABOR), the certification board of the AAB (American Association of Bioanalysts).

If you pass the exam and meet ABOR’s education and laboratory training requirements, you earn MT(AAB) Generalist certification, which can help you find a job as a medical technologist.

*You must also score 60% on the Basic Knowledge section and 50% on each of the other five sections.

**The exam is offered 3–4 times per year in California and Florida only. In other states, you must contact an approved testing center to arrange an exam date.

Exam dates

ABOR holds the MT(AAB) Generalist exam in Florida and California three to four times a year. For the upcoming exam dates, see www.aab.org/aab/BOR_Exam_Dates_and_Locations.asp.

For other states, you must contact an approved testing center to arrange a date for your exam.

Applying to take the exam

You must submit your application for the MT(AAB) Generalist exam online. The steps in the application process are as follows:

  1. Create a profile through the AAB website (www.aab.org).
  2. Enter your name and contact information.
  3. Select the exam you wish to take.
  4. Enter your education details. Your educational institution (college or university) must send your transcripts to ABOR directly. International qualifications generally require an evaluation from an ABOR-approved equivalency agency.
  5. Enter your work experience. Employer or laboratory-training documentation may also be required.
  6. Pay the application fee by card. At the time of writing, the application fee is $115.
  7. Print, sign, and notarize the notary page, then send it to the ABOR office at the address shown at the bottom of the notary page.
  8. Wait 9–12 weeks for ABOR to send you their decision by email.
  9. If ABOR approves your application, you will have one year to take the exam. You must schedule, pay for, and confirm your exam date at least 4 weeks in advance of the exam.

ABOR offers the exam at sites in California and Florida. In other states, you can take the exam at any approved accredited college or university testing center near you. ABOR will send you a list of approved locations.

Exam fees

Exam fees
Fee type Fee
Application fee $115
Exam fee $185
Proctor fee for ABOR-administered exams* $35

*If you take the exam at a different testing center (one outside of Florida or California, for example), the center will charge its own proctoring fee.

Exam day

On exam day, you must arrive at the exam site on time. You will be taken to the testing room and given instructions on how to complete the exam. The exam is paper-and-pencil based. Calculators are not allowed.

You will have 2.5 hours to complete the first three sections (Basic Knowledge, Chemistry, and Microbiology), followed by a break, and then 2.5 hours to complete the final three sections (Immunology, Hematology, and Immunohematology).

You will receive your results 4–6 weeks after the exam.

Passing the exam

The MT(AAB) Generalist exam has six sections. To pass the exam, you must score:

  • at least 60% overall
  • AND at least 60% on the Basic Knowledge section
  • AND at least 50% on each of the other five sections

The table below shows the minimum passing score for each section.

Section Passing score
Basic Knowledge 60%
Chemistry 50%
Microbiology 50%
Hematology 50%
Immunology 50%
Immunohematology 50%

What if I fail the exam?

If you fail the MT(AAB) Generalist exam on your first attempt, you may retake it after 3 months.

If you fail the exam a second time, you must wait 6 months before retaking the exam again. Applicants for California licensure must wait 1 year.

If you fail the exam a third time, your application will be closed, and you must make a new application before you can take the exam again. Furthermore, you must wait 18 months before making a new application and 24 months before retaking the examination.

What if I need to cancel the exam?

You may cancel your exam up to twice per application.

  • First cancellation: Your exam fee will be refunded. However, if you cancel eight business days or fewer before the exam, you must pay an $80 cancellation fee.
  • Second cancellation: You must pay an $80 cancellation fee. If you cancel eight business days or fewer before the exam, you will also lose your exam and proctor fees.

Missed exams

If you miss the exam without canceling, the following penalties will apply:

  • First missed exam: You will lose your exam and proctor fees and must pay an additional $80 to reschedule.
  • Second missed exam: You will lose all your fees (application fee, exam fee, and proctor fee), and ABOR will close your application. You must submit a new application before taking the exam.

Maintaining your certification

If you pass the exam, you must pay annual dues to ABOR to maintain your certification. At the time of writing, the annual dues are $115.

If you do not pay your annual dues, you can generally reinstate your certification by paying the outstanding and current dues, as long as less than three years have passed since you last paid the dues.

If you do not pay the annual dues for three years, ABOR will close your certification file, and you will need to retake the exam to become re-certified.

Exam structure

The MT(AAB) Generalist exam has six sections:

  1. Basic Knowledge
  2. Chemistry
  3. Microbiology
  4. Hematology
  5. Immunology
  6. Immunohematology

Each section contains 40 questions, so the exam has a total of 240 questions.

The following pages outline the content of each of the six sections. This information is a general study guide only. ABOR only sends the official and current content outline to approved candidates.

Basic Knowledge is the most important section because it is the only section that requires a score of at least 60% to pass. The other sections only require a score of 50%.

1. Basic Knowledge

Basic Knowledge is the first section of the MT(AAB) Generalist exam. It requires a score of 60% to pass.

In general, the Basic Knowledge section contains questions about:

Quality assurance and mathematics

  • Accuracy and precision
  • Coefficient of variation
  • Control values
  • Errors (pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical)
  • Mean, mode, median, and range
  • Preparing solutions
  • Standard deviation and confidence limits
  • Units of measurement

Laboratory equipment

  • Microscopes
  • Centrifuges
  • Pipettes
  • Biological safety hoods
  • Thermometers

Fire safety

  • Fire precautions
  • Fire evacuation plans
  • The NFPA Hazard Diamond
  • Types of fire
  • Types of fire extinguishers

Federal acts regulating laboratories

  • Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)
    • CLIA levels of complexity
    • CLIA proficiency testing
  • Occupational Safety and Health Act
    • OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)
    • OSHA standards such as chemical hygiene, bloodborne pathogens, and fire evacuation routes
  • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
  • Civil Rights Act

Federal agencies regulating laboratories

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
  • Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
  • Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
  • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  • Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
  • Department of Transportation (DOT)

Other basic knowledge

  • Storage of chemicals
  • Chain of custody
  • Patient confidentiality
  • Information security
  • Laboratory administration

2. Chemistry

Chemistry is the second section of the MT(AAB) Generalist exam and requires a score of 50% to pass. The section contains questions about:

Metabolism

  • Carbohydrates and sugars (glucose, maltose, etc.)
  • Lipids
  • Proteins and amino acids
  • Vitamins and minerals (e.g., calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper)
    • Regulation of vitamins and minerals in the body
    • Vitamin disorders
    • Mineral disorders

Clinical chemistry tests

  • Calcium tests
  • Cardiac markers
  • Chromatography
  • Enzyme tests
  • Glucose tests
  • Liver tests (e.g., alkaline phosphatase)
  • pH and blood gas tests
  • Plasma proteins (albumin, glycoproteins, cryoglobulins, etc.)
  • Serum protein analysis
  • Serum protein electrophoretic patterns
  • Spectrophotometry
  • Sweat testing
  • Therapeutic drug monitoring
  • Thyroid tests
  • Toxicology

Other chemistry topics

  • Endocrinology (cortisol, estrogen, testosterone, insulin, etc.)
  • Electrolytes (e.g., sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate)
  • Body fluids (urine, synovial fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, saliva, etc.)
  • Heme derivatives
  • Jaundice

Quality management

  • Quality control
  • Quality assurance
  • Quality improvement
  • Laboratory compliance

3. Microbiology

Microbiology is the third section of the MT(AAB) Generalist exam and requires a score of 50% to pass. The section contains questions about:

Bacteriology

  • Sterilization
  • Staining methods
  • Culture media
  • Specimen collection, storage, and transport
  • Antimicrobial susceptibility testing
  • Types of bacteria
    • Staphylococcus
    • Micrococcus
    • Streptococcus
    • Enterococcus
    • Neisseria
    • Moraxella
    • Bacillus
    • Listeria
    • Mycobacteria
    • Aerobes and anaerobes
    • Gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria
    • Bacilli and cocci
    • Fermenters and nonfermenters

Parasitology

  • Protozoa
  • Trematodes (flukes)
  • Cestodes (tapeworms)
  • Nematodes (roundworms)

Mycology

  • Characteristics of fungi
  • Identification of molds and yeasts

Virology

  • Characteristics of viruses
  • Identification of viruses

Quality management

  • Quality control
  • Quality assurance
  • Quality improvement
  • Laboratory compliance

4. Hematology

Hematology is the fourth section of the MT(AAB) Generalist exam. This section requires a score of 50% to pass and contains questions about:

Coagulation

  • Coagulation factors (factor I, factor II, etc.)
  • Coagulation tests
    • Activated clotting time (ACT)
    • Partial thromboplastin time (PTT)
    • Prothrombin time (PT)

Red blood cells

  • Morphology
  • Red blood cell disorders (anemia, thalassemia, etc.)
  • Red blood cell indices
    • Mean corpuscular volume (MCV)
    • Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH)
    • Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)
  • Hematopoiesis
  • Hemoglobin

White blood cells

  • Morphology
  • Disorders (leukemia, leukopenia, Hodgkin's lymphoma, etc.)

Blood tests

  • Complete blood count (CBC)
  • White blood cell count (WBC)
  • Red blood cell count (RBC)
  • Platelet count (PLT)
  • Hematocrit
  • Hemoglobin
  • Red cell distribution width (RDW)
  • Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
  • Blood smears

Other hematology topics

  • Platelet disorders
  • Automated cell counters
  • Centrifugation
  • Scatter plots
  • Stains for blood cells (e.g., Wright's stain)

Urinalysis

  • Creatinine clearance testing
  • Dipstick tests
  • Crystals in urine

Quality management

  • Quality control
  • Quality assurance
  • Quality improvement
  • Laboratory compliance

5. Immunology

Immunology is the fifth section of the MT(AAB) Generalist exam and requires a score of 50% to pass. The section contains questions about:

The immune system

  • Antigens and antibodies
  • Complement
  • Immunogenicity
  • Types of immunity
    • Innate
    • Adaptive (cellular and humoral)
    • Passive (natural and artificial)

Laboratory methods

  • Agglutination and precipitation
  • Electrophoresis
    • Serum protein electrophoresis
    • Immunofixation electrophoresis
  • Flow cytometry
  • Immunoassays
    • Chemiluminescence immunoassay
    • Enzyme immunoassay
    • Fluorescence immunoassay
    • Radioimmunoassay
  • Molecular techniques
    • FISH
    • Nucleic acid testing
    • PCR
    • Reverse transcription
    • Sequencing
  • Nephelometry and turbidimetry

Immune disorders

  • Autoimmune disorders
  • Hypersensitivity disorders
  • Immunodeficiency disorders
  • Immunoproliferative disorders

Infectious disease immunology

  • Bacteria (Streptococcus, Treponema, Borrelia, etc.)
  • Fungi (Cryptococcus, etc.)
  • Parasites (Toxoplasma, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, etc.)
  • Viruses (HIV, hepatitis viruses, EBV, CMV, herpes simplex virus, varicella-zoster virus, rubella, West Nile virus, etc.)

Other immunology topics

  • Transplant immunology
  • Tumor immunology

Quality management

  • Quality control
  • Quality assurance
  • Quality improvement
  • Laboratory compliance

6. Immunohematology

Immunohematology is the final section of the MT(AAB) Generalist exam and requires a score of 50% to pass. It contains questions about:

Blood banking procedures

  • Blood collection
  • Blood separation
  • Blood storage

Blood group systems

  • ABO, including the H antigen
  • Rh
  • MNS
  • Lutheran
  • Kell
  • Duffy
  • Kidd

Immunohematology tests

  • Compatibility testing
  • Antibody screening
  • Antibody identification

Other immunohematology topics

  • Blood components
  • Blood donations
  • Transfusion medicine
  • Transfusion reactions
  • Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn

Quality management

  • Quality control
  • Quality assurance
  • Quality improvement
  • Laboratory compliance