PATH-5009:Clinical Pathology Laboratory

Location : Augusta University Medical Center

Enrollment : 2 Maximum

Prerequisites : Phase II

Duration : 4 weeks

Months Offered : January through November

Goals:To help students understand the operation of a clinical diagnostic laboratory and thereby promote effective utilization.

Objectives: At the end of the rotation, the student should be able to:

Understand the role of laboratory testing and clinical pathologists in optimal patient care, including the clinical pathologist's roles as a clinical consultant, researcher, educator, and medical director.
Properly collect common specimens for chemistry, hematology, transfusion medicine, and microbiology testing, understanding pre-analytical error.
Describe the basic methods used for commonly ordered tests and the expected turnaround times, and understanding analytical error.
Interpret common laboratory tests and integrate the results into the patient's diagnostic or treatment paths, understanding post-analytical error.
Discuss the limitations of commonly ordered tests.

Activities: The student is expected to devote ~30 hours a week to:

Participate in section conferences and meetings, as applicable.
Bench observation with technologists
Weekly or more frequent meetings and/or sign-out with faculty.
Chart review and/or interface with clinicians for patients with complex results.
Independent study.
In general, the learner will spend on e week in chemistry (under Dr. Singh), transfusion medicine (under Drs. Shikle and Bollag), microbiology (under Dr. Samra), and hematology/hematopathology (under Dr. Savage).

Lab Hours: 15 weekly
Small Group: 2 weekly
Seminar Hours: 2 weekly
Other: Independent study 11 weekly

Assessment :

Clinical performance evaluation by faculty to assess interpretative and integrative skills.
Clinical performance evaluation by technologists to assess understanding of basic testing requirements and methodology.
Clinical performance evaluation by pathology residents to assess participation in group learning activities.

This elective is by arrangement only. Please contact Meighan Kilpatrick at 706-721-2923 or mekilpatrick@augusta.edu.