ABPath Medical Microbiology case studies
ABPath Medical Microbiology · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The Medical Microbiology examination is an American Board of Pathology (ABPath) subspecialty certification exam for pathologists who want to demonstrate advanced knowledge and problem-solving ability in clinical microbiology. It is a one-day, computer-based test delivered entirely in multiple-choice, one-best-answer format, and it is designed to measure both a candidate's body of knowledge and their ability to reason through clinical microbiology problems. The exam is organized into Written/Practical sections and covers, among other areas, administrative and safety practices, quality control and infection prevention, taxonomy and nomenclature, specimen collection and processing, pathogenic mechanisms, antimicrobial mechanisms and susceptibility testing, media, reagents and stains, culture and molecular detection methods across bacteria, mycobacteria, fungi, parasites, viruses and other transmissible agents, and patient care decision making and consultation. A terminology reference list is made available to candidates during the exam. The ABPath Medical Microbiology case studies are 5 cases and about 2,604 words.
1Blood Culture Contamination and the Vancomycin Decision
A 340-bed community hospital tracks blood culture contamination monthly. Last quarter the rate was 3.4% against an internal benchmark of ≤3.0%.
591 words, about 3 min2Carbapenem-Resistant Organism on a Surgical Unit
A 52-year-old woman is on postoperative day 6 after an open abdominal procedure. She has a temporary ileostomy, a midline wound, and a central line.
559 words, about 3 min3A Sputum That Will Not Cooperate
A 61-year-old man with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease presents with 4 days of increased sputum purulence, low-grade fever, and dyspnea. The team orders a sputum Gram stain and bacterial culture.
494 words, about 2 min4Vancomycin MIC at the Breakpoint
A 70-year-old woman with a prosthetic knee and diabetes has a deep wound infection after revision surgery. Intraoperative cultures grow methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
472 words, about 2 min5A Traveler with Fever and a Negative Malaria Smear
A 29-year-old woman returns from 3 weeks in sub-Saharan Africa. She presents with 5 days of fever to 39.5 °C, headache, myalgia, and one episode of vomiting.
488 words, about 2 min