Clinical Chemistry Rotation
Clinical laboratories provide about seventy to eighty percent of the necessary information needed by physicians to make appropriate medical decisions, establish a diagnosis and properly monitor patients.
The UNMC Clinical Chemistry Laboratories utilize modern analytical testing platforms, providing a complex and highly robust testing menu, encompassing a variety of tests, from the most common, e.g. metabolic panel, electrolytes, etc., to sophisticated chromatography, mass spectrometry and electrophoresis evaluations.
The clinical chemistry and toxicology residency rotation is comprised of twelve weeks of clinical chemistry education, spread over the first three years of residency. It is designed to offer a relevant education with the most up-to-date concepts of clinical chemistry along with vigorous exposure to clinical chemistry laboratory practices. The UNMC high standards clinical chemistry curriculum ensures that residents will attain all the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully pass the CP board exam, as well as become a proficient clinical pathologist and clinical laboratory expert.
In addition, the residents are exposed to toxicology laboratory testing practices in our new and modern toxicology laboratory. In the current environment of opioid and illicit drug crisis, the residents have the opportunity to gain firsthand exposure to drug testing, get involved in toxicology result reviews and learn about the regulation of toxicology testing, etc.
Furthermore, an elective rotation focused on toxicology testing and interpretation of toxicology reports offers, to those interested residents, the opportunity to develop further expertise in toxicology, including court testimony expertise, i.e., toxicology expert testimony.
A Resident's day-to-day on the Clinical Chemistry Rotation
Our Clinical Chemistry rotation involves both practical and theoretical assignments to ensure that we acquire a strong foundation of knowledge and skills. On a typical day, we rotate through various benches in the Chemistry lab in the morning. In the afternoon, we review the SPEP, UPEP, IFE and MS screening gel lab results daily and preview weekly the results of hemoglobin analysis (HPLC and IEF gel), followed by a sign out with an attending. We also have dedicated weekly module based reading assignments for active discussions with the faculty. Residents also attend the LOT meetings, bi-monthly Chemistry lab meetings and present an interesting case during the lab medicine presentation.
Clinical Chemistry Rotation Director
Assistant Professor, UNMC Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
Director, Clinical Chemistry
