Cambodia Laboratory Exit Exam study plan

Build a one-page equation sheet covering Beer-Lambert calculation, anion gap, corrected calcium, osmolality, creatinine clearance, and unit conversions (mg/dL to mmol/L), then solve 10 numerical problems using only that sheet

Explain in writing how pre-analytical errors (hemolysis, delayed separation, tourniquet time, IV fluid contamination) change potassium, glucose, and lactate results

Draw and annotate a reference-interval decision diagram for fasting glucose, HbA1c, and oral glucose tolerance testing, noting which specimen tubes and handling times apply

Work through liver function and renal panel interpretation by writing a short case for each of five patterns: prehepatic jaundice, cholestasis, hepatocellular injury, prerenal azotemia, and acute kidney injury

Map the complete blood count parameters to their analyzers' measurement principles (impedance, flow cytometry, spectrophotometry) and state two interfering conditions for each

Classify anemias by MCV and reticulocyte count and write a 200-word interpretation algorithm with at least three worked examples

Describe the blood transfusion chain from donor screening to post-transfusion reaction investigation, listing the tests performed at each step

Explain ABO and Rh typing discrepancies and antibody screening principles, and list the correct action for a suspected acute hemolytic reaction

Compare culture media, atmospheric conditions, and identification tests for the major bacterial groups (Enterobacterales, non-fermenters, staphylococci, streptococci, mycobacteria)

Outline the specimen-to-result pathway for blood, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, and wound cultures, including incubation times and when to call a critical result

Summarize virology diagnostic methods (PCR, antigen detection, serology, viral culture) and match each to at least three clinically important viruses

Describe fungal identification categories (yeasts, molds, dimorphic fungi) and the safety precautions for handling mold cultures

Write a short guide to antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods and how to interpret and report resistant, intermediate, and susceptible results

Distinguish the diagnostic stages of malaria, soil-transmitted helminths, and intestinal protozoa on a drawn morphology chart, and state the correct specimen and stain for each

Explain the principle and limitations of rapid diagnostic tests for malaria and dengue, including when microscopy is still required

Sequence the serological tests for HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, and dengue, and describe how to interpret a reactive screen with a negative confirmatory test

Identify the vectors and transmission cycles of malaria, dengue, and Japanese encephalitis relevant to Cambodia, and state one control measure for each

Build a quality control plan for a clinical chemistry and hematology bench, including Levey-Jennings charting, Westgard rules, and the corrective action to record for each rule violation

Draft an internal quality audit checklist covering specimen collection, labeling, storage, and result release, with at least 15 checkpoints

Write a biosafety risk assessment for a routine microbiology bench, assigning biosafety levels and specifying personal protective equipment, waste segregation, and spill response

Explain external quality assessment participation, including how to investigate an unacceptable result and document the root cause

Explain the operating principles, calibration, and common failure modes of spectrophotometers, centrifuges, autoclaves, analyzers, and pipettes

Calculate accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and Cohen's kappa from a supplied 2x2 table, and interpret each result

Describe how to perform and document method validation and verification (linearity, precision, comparison, reference interval) for a new test

Diagnose five instrument troubleshooting scenarios (drift, carryover, clogged probe, temperature error, lamp failure) and state the corrective action for each

Outline the notifiable disease reporting pathway in Cambodia, including who reports, timelines, and the laboratory's role in case-based and event-based surveillance

Design a simple outbreak investigation support plan describing specimen collection, transport, and result communication for a suspected dengue or diarrheal disease cluster

Apply ethical principles to three scenarios: incidental HIV-positive result, patient requesting results by phone, and pressure to alter a result

Explain confidentiality, informed consent, record retention, and the laboratory professional's duty to report critical values, referencing general legal and ethical obligations rather than claiming specific statute numbers

Complete two full-length timed mock examinations under exam conditions and score each by domain

Review every incorrect answer and write a one-line reason for the correct answer, grouping errors by domain to identify the two weakest areas

Re-drill weak domains using the week 1-7 summary sheets, spending at least 60 percent of study time on the two lowest-scoring domains

Recite the key formulas, QC rules, biosafety levels, and reporting timelines from memory in a 30-minute self-quiz