ONLINE PRACTICE TEST

CSMLS MLT Certification Exam: Practice Test 2

Prepare with 300 practice questions with answers and explanations.

300 questions Answers & explanations Immediate online access
Online access $29.99
Unlock this practice test Try sample questions
CSMLS MLT Certification Exam: Practice Test 2

THE PRACTICE TEST

Practice test at a glance

Questions
300
Format
Multiple choice
Access
2 years
Price
$29.99
Answers
Included
Explanations
Included

About these practice questions

These practice questions will help you prepare for the CSMLS MLT exam.

This practice test contains 300 practice questions covering the eight sections of the CSMLS MLT exam:

  1. Safe Work Practices
  2. Data and Specimen Collection and Handling
  3. Analytical Processes
  4. Interpretation and Reporting of Results
  5. Quality Management
  6. Critical Thinking
  7. Communication and Interaction
  8. Professional Practice

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

GET FULL ACCESS

Unlock the full practice test

ONLINE ACCESS

$29.99

Unlock all 300 practice questions, answers and explanations.

  • Immediate access after payment
  • One question at a time in practice mode
  • Jump directly to any question
  • One-time payment

We'll send your purchase information to this address.

Payment is processed by PayPal.

TRY IT FIRST

Sample practice questions

Try some of the questions before buying. Answers and explanations are available with online access.

Section 1: Safe Work Practices

1) Which law requires suppliers to use labels and safety data sheets to communicate the dangers of their products?
  1. Canadian Environmental Protection Act
  2. Controlled Substances Act
  3. Food and Drugs Act
  4. Hazardous Products Act
    The Hazardous Products Act (HPA) is a federal act requiring suppliers to communicate the hazards of their products. They must do this via product labels and safety data sheets.
2) Which agency enforces the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act?
  1. Canadian Food Inspection Agency
  2. Health Canada
  3. Public Health Agency of Canada
    The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is Canada's authority on biosafety and biosecurity for human pathogens and toxins. This agency is responsible for enforcing the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act (HPTA) and the Human Pathogens and Toxins Regulations (HPTR).
  4. World Health Organization·
3) Where should bulk quantities of acetone be kept?
  1. Biological safety cabinet
  2. Flammable storage cabinet
    Acetone is a highly flammable liquid and should ideally be stored in a flammable storage cabinet (a safe storage place for flammable materials).
  3. Freezer
  4. Refrigerator
4) Which chemical is best for neutralizing weak acid spills?
  1. Acetic acid
  2. Boric acid
  3. Sodium bicarbonate
    Weak acid spills should be neutralized with sodium bicarbonate (which is a weak base) and then cleaned up with a paper towel or sponge.
  4. Sodium hydroxide
    Sodium hydroxide is also an alkaline and therefore also neutralizes acids. However, sodium hydroxide is a strong alkaline and could cause injury. Therefore, sodium hydroxide should not be used to neutralize acid spills. Weak bases like sodium bicarbonate are safer.
5) Which of these ethyl alcohol dilutions is the most effective disinfectant?
  1. 10% ethyl alcohol
  2. 40% ethyl alcohol
  3. 70% ethyl alcohol
    Alcohol is most effective as a disinfectant when it is diluted with water to a solution of 60–90% alcohol.
  4. 100% ethyl alcohol
6) Where should you discard used needles?
  1. Biohazard sharps container
    Used venipuncture needles are considered biohazardous sharps. Therefore, they must be discarded into a designated sharps container. This helps prevent needle-stick injuries.
  2. Glass disposal bucket
  3. Glass recycling bin
  4. Regular garbage
7) What is the main hazard of ethanol?
  1. Carcinogenicity
  2. Corrosiveness
  3. Flammability
    The main hazard of ethanol is flammability. Ethanol is a highly flammable liquid, meaning it ignites easily. Ethanol is a common cause of laboratory fires.
  4. Toxicity
8) You find an old bottle of picric acid in the laboratory. The picric acid is dry. There are crystals in the bottle. How should you dispose of it?
  1. Call a bomb disposal service
    When dry, picric acid is explosive. A local bomb disposal service or an explosives disposal company should be contacted to dispose of the product.
  2. Dilute it with water and pour it into a hazardous waste container
  3. Pour it down the drain
  4. Send it for incineration
9) Which of these is a principle of PPE removal?
  1. Remove gloves last
  2. Remove goggles and mask first
  3. Remove the least contaminated equipment first
  4. Remove the most contaminated equipment first
    When taking off PPE, remove the most contaminated items first, and then work towards the least contaminated.
    1. Start by removing your gloves, because they touched lab equipment and are most likely to be contaminated.
    2. Next, take off your gown, which might have splashes on it.
    3. Remove your goggles and mask last, since they are the least likely to be contaminated.
10) What is the Heimlich maneuver used for?
  1. Choking
    The Heimlich maneuver is an emergency procedure for upper airway obstructions (choking). By exerting pressure on the bottom of the diaphragm, the lungs are forced to expel air, dislodging the obstruction.
  2. Heart attack
  3. Poisoning
  4. Syncope
11) A lab technologist has spilled concentrated hydrochloric acid onto his clothing and skin, affecting a large portion of his body. After he has removed his clothing, what is the next thing he should do?
  1. Apply a burn ointment to his skin
  2. Pour baking soda onto his skin
  3. Seek emergency medical assistance
  4. Use the emergency safety shower
    If acid spills on the body, rinse the area with water immediately to wash off the acid. If a large area is affected, use the emergency safety shower.
12) Which of these is a common early sign of syncope?
  1. Chest pain
  2. Cyanosis
  3. Dizziness
    Syncope is the medical term for fainting. Common early signs of fainting include dizziness, nausea, and blurred vision. If a patient exhibits these symptoms, instruct them to lie down with their legs raised.
  4. Edema
13) What is the sequence of events in the chain of survival?
  1. Call 911 → defibrillation → start CPR
  2. Call 911 → start CPR → defibrillation
    The “chain of survival” is the sequence of events that maximizes the chances of survival from cardiac arrest. The correct sequence is:
    1. Call 911 to get emergency services on their way
    2. Start CPR to maintain circulation and oxygenation
    3. Use defibrillation to restore a normal heart rhythm
  3. Defibrillation → call 911→ start CPR
  4. Start CPR → call 911 → defibrillation
14) Which of these infectious agents is spread through the air?
  1. HIV
  2. Norovirus
  3. Salmonella
  4. Varicella virus
    Varicella (chickenpox) is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads through the air. Airborne precautions are necessary to prevent the spread of the virus.
15) Which type of hazard do universal precautions apply to?
  1. Bloodborne pathogens
    Universal precautions are a standard set of guidelines to prevent the transmission of bloodborne pathogens.
  2. Dangerous chemicals
  3. Environmental hazards
  4. Radiation
16) Which type of PPE is required when dealing with a patient on airborne precautions?
  1. Face shield
  2. Goggles
  3. N95 respirator
    The PPE required in an airborne precaution situation is a gown, gloves, and an N95 respirator (or equivalent).
  4. Surgical mask
17) Which of these actions would break aseptic technique during phlebotomy?
  1. Drawing blood collection tubes in the wrong order
  2. Failing to check the patient's ID band
  3. Leaving the tourniquet on for longer than one minute
  4. Touching the puncture site after disinfection
    Aseptic technique is a set of practices to prevent the introduction of microorganisms into sterile environments. Touching the puncture site after disinfecting it introduces bacteria from your finger onto the cleaned area, breaking aseptic technique.
18) Which biosafety level does a nonpathogenic strain of E. coli require?
  1. BSL-1
    Biosafety level 1 (BSL-1) is the lowest of the four biosafety levels and applies to low-risk microbes that pose little to no threat, such as nonpathogenic strains of bacteria.
  2. BSL-2
  3. BSL-3
  4. BSL-4
19) What does this sign mean?
  1. Biohazard
  2. Do not eat
  3. General warning
    The general warning laboratory safety symbol is a black exclamation point in a yellow triangle. It is a general warning of a non-specific hazard. This symbol can be found on equipment, doorways, cupboards, and other areas of labs.
  4. Toxic material
20) What is a major hazard of UV lamps?
  1. Carbon monoxide poisoning
  2. Electromagnetic interference
  3. Explosions
  4. Skin burns
    Biosafety cabinets may have UV lamps to kill microorganisms. Be careful around UV lamps as they can burn your skin, damage your eyes, and cause skin cancer.

Ready for all 300 questions?

Unlock the full practice test

PREFER PAPER?

Get the printed book

The practice questions and answers are also available as a physical book from Amazon.com.

Book edition of CSMLS MLT Certification Exam: Practice Test 2

About the CSMLS MLT exam

What is the CSMLS MLT exam?

The CSMLS MLT Certification Exam is an examination for laboratory technologists in Canada. The exam is set by the CSMLS (Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science).

When is the CSMLS MLT exam?

The CSMLS MLT exam is held several times each year, typically in February, June, and October. The deadline for registration is two months before each exam. Check the current exam schedule on the CSMLS website, www.csmls.org.

How much does the CSMLS MLT exam cost?

The fee for the CSMLS MLT exam is based on your CSMLS membership status and whether you live in Canada. The exam fees are as follows:

Canadian resident Non-resident
CSMLS member $999 $1,910
Non-member $1,285 $2,210
(These fees are correct for the 2026 exams. See www.csmls.org for the latest fees.)

There is a late fee if you book the exam within the last two weeks of registration. The late fee is $180 for CSMLS members and $185 for non-members.

CSMLS Medical Laboratory Technologist Student Membership costs just $26 and reduces the cost of the CSMLS MLT exam by $286.

What are the competencies on the exam?

The CSMLS MLT exam has 210 multiple-choice questions that cover eight competencies. These competencies are:

  1. Safe Work Practices
  2. Data and Specimen Collection and Handling
  3. Analytical Processes
  4. Interpretation and Reporting of Results
  5. Quality Management
  6. Critical Thinking
  7. Communication and Interaction
  8. Professional Practice
Some competencies on the CSMLS MLT exam are weighted more heavily than others. In fact, just three competencies — Analytical Processes, Interpretation and Reporting of Results, and Quality Management — are together worth 60-75% of the exam. Therefore, these three competencies should be the focus of your studies.

The following table shows the percentage distribution of the competencies assessed in the CSMLS MLT exam.

Percentage distribution of the competencies in the CSMLS MLT exam.
Competency Percentage of exam
1. Safe Work Practices 5–7%
2. Data and Specimen Collection and Handling 5–7%
3. Analytical Processes 30–35%
4. Interpretation and Reporting of Results 20–25%
5. Quality Management 20–25%
6. Critical Thinking 5–10%
7. Communication and Interaction 3–5%
8. Professional Practice 5–7%