Practicum: Clinical Microbiology

Catalog description

Practicum experience in clinical microbiology based in healthcare facilities or reference laboratories. Emphasis on microbial infectious and bioterrorism agents, classification, morphology, phenotyping, diseases, biotechnology and molecular technology, quality assurance and quality control, epidemiological significance, and regulatory standards. Application of antimicrobial, biochemical, and differential testing, drug resistance, selection, inoculation and incubation of culture media, isolation techniques, cell culture and viral detection tests, and macroscopic and microscopic evaluation. Procedures for staining, rapid and commercial testing methods, safety precautions, specimen collection, handling, storage, and disposal of biological material, pretreatment, decontamination, and concentration techniques, specimen type, source, and common microbial flora, specimen acceptability, and instrumentation. Prerequisites: A grade of "C" or better in MDL246, acceptance into the Medical Laboratory Science program, and permission of the Program Director.