 Also in the 1960s, ASMT joined the International Association of Medical Laboratory Technologists.In the 1970s ASMT grew considerably in numbers (over 30,000 in 1976).The Professional Acknowledgment for Continuing Education (PACE) Program for validating and documenting continuing education was introduced, and the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) was formed as an independent accreditation agency.