The Self-Assessment of Practice is based on the foundation of the MLT Competency Profile which outlines the expected knowledge, skills, judgements, and attitudes of an MLT. The Standards of Practice is integral in the attainment of the competencies and the regulated member’s professional practice and so serves as the framework for the Self-Assessment.

Three of the Standards of Practice serve as benchmarks by which an MLT is accountable to both the public and their profession. These areas are:

• professional accountability
• knowledge based practice
• professional roles

Each area contains a list of statements which qualify the main standard and further expand on the practical application of the standard in the workplace. These qualifying statements are referred to, in the context of the MLT Competency Profile, as enabling competencies. Enabling competencies are the knowledge, skills, judgements, and attitudes necessary to provide safe, competent, and ethical medical laboratory services.

The Self-Assessment of Practice is a tool used by the MLT to self-reflect on practice strengths and aids in establishing a purposeful Learning Plan targeting learning in those practice areas which the MLT is developing. When reviewing the self-assessment tool, MLTs select the Self-Assessment of Practice statement which most accurately describes their abilities and circumstances for each enabling competency which is applicable to their practice.

There are two Self-Assessment of Practice statements:

1. Competent (COM) – I have self-assessed this enabling competency as competent because I have the necessary knowledge, skills, judgments, and attitudes to adequately meet all the requirements for this enabling competency.
2. Developmental/Advancing/Expanding (DEV) – I have self-assessed this enabling competency as developmental/advancing/expanding because I have identified weaknesses/gaps in my knowledge, skills, judgments, and attitudes in this enabling competency, and/or I would like to supplement my knowledge, skills, judgments, and attitudes in this enabling competency.

If an enabling competency is not relevant to an MLT’s professional role (and neither COM nor DEV are applicable) it is not mandatory for the MLT to select a practice statement for this specific enabling competency. Through self-assessment, the MLT is not implying they are  unskilled or incompetent, but allows for expansion or augmentation of their current knowledge and skill set.

Click here for a guide to completing your self-assessment and competency summary for the upcoming registration year.