ABPath Chemical Pathology study guide
ABPath Chemical Pathology · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
Chemical Pathology is an American Board of Pathology subspecialty certification for pathologists who want to demonstrate advanced knowledge in laboratory medicine, including the analytic, interpretive, and consultative aspects of clinical chemistry. The examination is a one-day, computer-based test that blends written and practical questions in each section; the practical portion presents graphs, charts, formulas, diagrams, tables, or other images rather than specimen images alone. The ABPath Chemical Pathology study guide has 12 sections and about 3,859 words.
01Laboratory Administrative and Management Requirements and Practices
Administrative competence is tested as often as analytic competence. Know the regulatory hierarchy: CLIA establishes minimum federal standards and categorizes tests as waived, moderate, or high complexity; laboratories performing nonwaived testing must hold a CLIA certificate of compliance or accreditation and follow manufacturer and CMS requirements.
295 words, about 1 min02Patient Preparation and Specimen Collection
Preanalytic error accounts for the majority of laboratory errors, so questions frequently test specimen requirements. Know fasting requirements (typically 8–12 hours for glucose and lipids), timing of draws relative to drug dosing (trough levels before next dose), and diurnal variation (cortisol, iron).
262 words, about 1 min03Standards and Units of Measurement
Candidates must convert confidently between mass and substance (molar) units and recognize SI versus conventional reporting. The core relationship is concentration in mass units divided by molecular weight equals molar concentration.
256 words, about 1 min04Calculations and Statistics
Expect calculation questions involving dilution, recovery, clearance, anion gap, osmolal gap, and basic statistics. The dilution equation C1V1 = C2V2 underlies all dilution problems; remember that a 1:10 dilution means one part sample plus nine parts diluent, not one plus ten.
271 words, about 1 min05Quality Control and Quality Management
Quality management spans the total testing process: preanalytic, analytic, and postanalytic phases. Know the elements of a quality management system-document control, competency, equipment maintenance, occurrence management, and continuous improvement.
263 words, about 1 min06Instrumentation and Equipment
Know the operating principles of major analyzers. Spectrophotometry relies on Beer-Lambert law (A = εbc); deviations occur at high absorbance or with stray light.
232 words, about 1 min07Analytic Methods and Techniques
Understand method selection, validation, and interference. Key concepts: analytic sensitivity (limit of detection and quantification), specificity, linearity, and interference from hemolysis, icterus, and lipemia.
230 words, about 1 min08Disorders of Metabolism
This domain covers inborn errors and acquired metabolic disease. Know the major categories: carbohydrate disorders (diabetes, glycogen storage diseases, galactosemia), amino acidopathies (phenylketonuria, maple syrup urine disease, homocystinuria), organic acidemias, fatty acid oxidation defects, and lysosomal storage diseases.
201 words, about 1 min09Electrolyte and Acid/Base Disorders
Master the anion gap, the delta gap, and compensation formulas. The anion gap (Na − Cl − HCO3) is normally 8–12; elevated gap acidosis arises from ketoacidosis, lactic acidosis, renal failure, and toxins (methanol, ethylene glycol, salicylate).
230 words, about 1 min10Serum Protein and Hemoglobin Abnormalities
Know serum protein electrophoresis patterns: albumin, alpha-1 (alpha-1 antitrypsin), alpha-2 (haptoglobin, ceruloplasmin), beta (transferrin, complement), and gamma (immunoglobulins). A monoclonal spike in gamma suggests a plasma cell dyscrasia; confirm with immunofixation and free light chain ratio.
210 words, about 1 min11Disorders of Coagulation and Hemostasis
Separate primary hemostasis (platelets, von Willebrand factor) from secondary hemostasis (coagulation cascade) and fibrinolysis. Screening tests: PT/INR (extrinsic and common pathway), aPTT (intrinsic and common), thrombin time, fibrinogen, and mixing studies.
211 words, about 1 min12Clinical Laboratory Evaluation of Organ and Systemic Diseases
This domain integrates organ-specific testing. Renal: creatinine, cystatin C, BUN, urinalysis, and the distinction between prerenal, intrinsic, and postrenal azotemia (BUN-to-creatinine ratio, fractional excretion of sodium).
1,198 words, about 6 min