Clinical Chemistry

• Adil Khan, Ph.D, Director of Chemistry, Director of Point Of Care Testing

• Mehriban Ulas, MD, PhD, Associate Program Director, Clinical Chemistry

In the 12 weeks of rotation, the residents will learn the basic principles of chemistry analyses for testing patient specimens, quality assurance and quality control, laboratory management including accreditation requirements for clinical chemistry and point-of-care testing (POCT), and how to provide effective clinical interpretation and consultation of test results. During this rotation, residents:

• Learn the fundamentals of analytical measurement including principles of instrumentation, assay methodologies, method limitations, and how to identify and troubleshoot errors.
• Understand the pathophysiology, clinical utility and interpretation of chemistry tests and the effects of preanalytical, analytical and physiological variables on result interpretation.
• Learn method validation procedures, including study design and statistical analysis.
• Understand the principles of quality assurance, quality control, proficiency testing, and regulatory compliance.
• Understand regulatory and accreditation requirements and be familiar with laboratory accrediting agencies.
• Participate with on-call responsibilities for questions regarding patient results and with daily operations of the Clinical Chemistry laboratory.
• Develop an understanding of the similarities and differences of POCT with centralized laboratory testing. 
• Understand the role of POCT in patient management.
• Gain knowledge of the principles behind POCT devices and their limitations.
• Gain knowledge of the CLSI POCT Connectivity Standard.
• Gain knowledge of Electronic Data Management with regards to POCT.
• Gain knowledge of the regulatory requirements for POCT results and Electronic Medical Records.
• Participate in troubleshooting issues with POCT service.
• Be able to develop an Individualized Quality Control Plan for Pont-of-Care Testing.

Residents give various presentations and attend conferences during the rotation including presentation to the medical technicians/technologists, journal club and clinical pathology case conference which is focused on quality improvement and patient safety. The didactic curriculum includes a whole host of chemistry topics and many nation and world renowned subject matter experts are routinely invited as pathology grand round speakers.