Clinical Laboratory Practice
Work like a medical laboratory scientist: accept or reject specimens, read chemistry, hematology, microbiology and blood bank results, call critical values, run daily QC and plan your certification.
Leads to: Medical Laboratory Technologist
Before you start
This course builds on Molecular Biology Methods and Lab Data & Quality. Take them first if you are new to the topic.
About this course
A mid-level course for future medical laboratory technologists and scientists. The first module covers specimens: the pre-analytical phase where most lab errors happen and the criteria for rejecting a specimen, the order of draw and why it prevents additive carry-over, and patient identification, labelling and chain of custody. The second module tours the main laboratory departments: clinical chemistry and the metabolic panel, hematology and the CBC with smear review, clinical microbiology from Gram stain to susceptibility report, and immunohematology (ABO/Rh typing, antibody screens and crossmatches). The third module covers results and quality: verifying, calling and documenting critical values, accepting or rejecting a run with Westgard multirules across two control levels (a fill-in-the-blank Python activity using only the standard library), and planning the route to MLS certification and licensure. All reference ranges and critical limits are illustrative teaching values, and nothing in the course is medical advice. Activities are paper and data exercises only: no specimens, patients or biological material. Working in a clinical lab requires a NAACLS-accredited MLS or MLT program with supervised clinical rotations, ASCP Board of Certification (or equivalent) certification, and a state licence where required (for example California, New York and Florida).
Course content
Module 1
Specimens
3 lessons · 1h 35mAccept or reject specimens, follow the order of draw, and label and track specimens with a chain of custody.
- 39mPre-analytical phaseReading
Learn where most lab errors happen and the criteria a lab uses to accept or reject a specimen.
- 27mCollection and order of drawReading
Recall the standard order of draw, why it prevents additive carry-over, and how to handle tubes after collection.
- 29mChain of custody and labellingReading
Label and track a specimen with two identifiers, LIS accessioning and a formal chain of custody.
Module 2
Laboratory Departments
4 lessons · 55mRead results from clinical chemistry, hematology, microbiology and the blood bank, and spot results that cannot be real.
- 8mClinical chemistryReading
Understand chemistry analysers and the metabolic panel, calculate an anion gap and tell real results from artefacts.
- 13mHematologyReading
Read a CBC, calculate red-cell indices and know which findings need a blood smear review.
- 15mClinical microbiologyReading
Follow a specimen from Gram stain to culture and read a susceptibility report with MICs and breakpoints.
- 19mImmunohematologyReading
Explain ABO and Rh typing, antibody screens and crossmatches, and choose compatible red cells and plasma.
Module 3
Results and Quality
3 lessons · 1h 45mCall and document critical values, accept or reject a run with Westgard rules, and plan MLS certification and licensure.
- 39mCritical values and reportingReading
Verify, call, read back, document and escalate a critical value, and correct a released result.
- 36mDaily QC in the clinical labReading
Apply Westgard multirules across two control levels to accept or reject a run, and know what to do after a rejection.
- 30mMLS certification and licensureReading
Plan the route through a NAACLS-accredited program, the ASCP BOC exam and a state licence where required.