What is the MedTech Board Exam?
The Medical Technologist Licensure Examination (MTLE) is the PRC board exam every medical technology graduate must pass to practise as a registered medical technologist. It is given by the Board of Medical Technology under RA 5527. It covers six subjects, and you need a 75% general average with no major subject below 50%.
The exam format
| Licensing body | PRC, Board of Medical Technology |
|---|---|
| Law | RA 5527 (Philippine Medical Technology Act of 1969), as amended by RA 6132, PD 498 and PD 1534 |
| Subjects and weights | Clinical Chemistry 20%; Microbiology and Parasitology 20%; Hematology 20%; Blood Banking and Serology 20%; Clinical Microscopy 10%; Histopathologic Techniques, Cytotechnology, Laws and Ethics 10% (RA 5527, Section 17) |
| To pass | A general average of at least 75%, with no rating below 50% in any major subject (RA 5527, Section 19) |
| Who may take it | Graduates of a four-year Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology course, including a 12-month internship, who are in good health and of good moral character (RA 5527, Sections 6 and 16) |
| Recent results | March 2026: 9,317 examinees, 7,838 successful. August 2026: 5,634 examinees, 4,204 successful. |
What the exam covers
- Clinical chemistry: glucose and lipids, enzymes, cardiac markers, electrolytes, blood gases, methods, calculations and quality control.
- Microbiology: staining, identification of cocci and gram-negative rods, culture media, mycobacteria, fungi, sterilisation and susceptibility testing.
- Parasitology: malaria, schistosomiasis, intestinal helminths and protozoa, including parasites important in the Philippines.
- Hematology: red cell indices, cell counts, anaemias, leukaemias, red cell inclusions and coagulation.
- Blood banking and immunoserology: ABO and Rh, antiglobulin tests, component storage, transfusion reactions, syphilis and hepatitis serology.
- Clinical microscopy: urinalysis, casts and crystals, CSF, semen, synovial fluid and faecal testing.
- Histopathology, cytotechnology, MT laws and ethics: fixation, tissue processing, staining, Pap smears, RA 5527 and related laws.
Free official resources, and what we add
The PRC publishes the exam schedule, requirements and results, and RA 5527 is free on lawphil.net. The PRC does not publish a practice bank. We add 111 original MTLE-style questions across all six subjects, written and checked against RA 5527 and standard laboratory references, with an explanation and source for every answer.
How to prepare
- Start with the free 5-question sample to see the style.
- Plan by weight: the four 20% subjects make up 80% of your rating.
- Do not neglect the 10% subjects. A rating below 50% in any major subject fails you even with a high average.
- Drill the calculations by hand: red cell indices, corrected WBC, Friedewald LDL, anion gap, dilutions and Beer's law.
- Read RA 5527 for the Board, the scope of the exam, the passing rule and the prohibited acts.
- Take timed mock exams in the final weeks and review every wrong answer with its source.
Practice questions with answers
Tap a question to see the correct answer and explanation.
What fasting plasma glucose level is diagnostic of diabetes mellitus, on repeat testing?
- 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) or higher
- 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) or higher
- 126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L) or higher
- 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) or higher
Answer: C, 126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L) or higher. A fasting plasma glucose of 126 mg/dL or higher, confirmed, is diagnostic of diabetes. 100 to 125 mg/dL is impaired fasting glucose, and 200 mg/dL applies to a random glucose with symptoms or the 2-hour OGTT value. Source: MTLE subject Clinical Chemistry (RA 5527, Section 17, as amended by PD 498); American Diabetes Association Standards of Care.
In the Gram stain, what is the role of Gram's iodine?
- It is the counterstain
- It is the primary stain
- It is the mordant
- It is the decolouriser
Answer: C, It is the mordant. Crystal violet is the primary stain, iodine is the mordant that forms a crystal violet-iodine complex, alcohol or acetone is the decolouriser and safranin is the counterstain. Source: MTLE subject Microbiology and Parasitology (RA 5527, Section 17, as amended by PD 498); Gram staining (Bailey and Scott's Diagnostic Microbiology).
Which finding on a thin blood film is most typical of Plasmodium falciparum?
- Crescent (banana-shaped) gametocytes
- Enlarged red cells with Schüffner's dots
- Band forms across the red cell
- Oval red cells with fimbriated edges
Answer: A, Crescent (banana-shaped) gametocytes. P. falciparum shows small rings, often several per cell, and crescent gametocytes, without enlarged cells. Schüffner's dots in enlarged cells suggest P. vivax, band forms P. malariae and fimbriated oval cells P. ovale. Source: MTLE subject Microbiology and Parasitology (RA 5527, Section 17, as amended by PD 498); blood parasites; DOH malaria microscopy guidelines.