Course Descriptions

CMT 401: Essentials of Clinical Laboratory Science (3 cr.) Fall Semester

This course is offered in the first 4 weeks of the program beginning in the Fall semester and the schedule is Monday through Friday; 8:30am-4pm. The learning model is wrap around lecture followed by hands on laboratory experiences. The total number of hours including lecture and lab experiences is 142.5. The methods used are laboratory exercises designed to prepare students for the clinical practicum. Didactic time is limited to the practical knowledge required for students to competently engage in laboratory activities. All students participate in this course at the same time in the same location.

1. Overview (located at BR):
   • Orientation-Program Overview; Review of Student Handbook and Policies: ½ day
   • Phlebotomy: ½ day
   • Clinical Laboratory Safety; Infection Control; Universal Precautions; Ethics and Data Integrity. Pre-analytic Techniques and Patient Safety Goals are integrated in homework assignments, clinical instruction and hands on clinical laboratory exercises.
2. Basic Laboratory Techniques in the content areas listed below (with approximate number of days spent on each subject indicated).
   • Clinical Chemistry: 3 days (located at BR)
   • Clinical Hematology: 4 days​ (located at BR)
   • Immunohematology and Transfusion Medicine: 5 days (located at SMH)
   • Clinical Microbiology & Serologic Techniques: 5 days (located at BR)

   • Renal Physiology and Urinalysis: 1 days (located at BR)

CMT 402: Clinical Practicum I (7 cr.) Fall Semester

The clinical practicum begins immediately following CMT 401 and occurs Monday Through Friday from 8am to 1pm for a total of 13 weeks (325 hours) of clinical training.

This course is entirely composed of supervised clinical experiences scheduled in the following disciplines: Blood Bank and Transfusion Medicine, Clinical Chemistry, Clinical Hematology & Hemostasis, Clinical Microbiology, Urinalysis, Immunology/Serology, and Histopathology. Theory is delivered on the bench and content is limited to the practical knowledge required for students to meet targeted learning outcomes and to achieve competency in the clinical laboratory procedures and protocols as assigned. Students are supervised throughout these experiences by a NYS Licensed Clinical Laboratory Technologist.

The class is split into three groups of 4-5 students. Over the course of the fall and spring semester these small groups complete 30 weeks of clinical training in Clinical Practicums I & II (CMT 402 & 403 respectively) on varying schedules to ensure that the instructor to student ratio and availability of space provide for the best learning outcomes. The total number of weeks and site locations are as follows:

• Clinical Chemistry: 8 weeks (learning activities scheduled between SMH and BR- schedule to be announced)
•  Clinical Hematology: 5 weeks (located at SMH)
• Immunohematology and Transfusion Medicine: 5 weeks (located at SMH)
• Clinical Microbiology & Serologic Techniques: 9 weeks (located at BR)
• Renal Physiology and Urinalysis: 1 week (located at BR)
• Histopathology: 1 week (located at SMH)
• Laboratory Operations: 1 week (independent study with a tracer audit scheduled at either SMH or BR-schedule to be announced)
   

Grading and assessment of learning is determined by evaluation of graduate student performance through instructor observations, laboratory practicals, and quizzes/ exams. Graduate students receive a grade for each week of the clinical practicum.

CMT 403: Clinical Practicum II (8.5 cr.) Spring Semester

CMT 404: Special Topics in Clinical Laboratory Science (0.5 cr.) Spring Semester

At BR conference room, location to be announced

This is a seminar course that includes 7.5 hours of traditional didactic material. Topics are presented by faculty and technologists with expertise in the following areas: Tissue Typing-HLA, Advanced Molecular Diagnostic Studies, Cytogenetics and Micro-Array.

Readings and lectures are designed to provide students with basic understandings of the diagnostic tests provided by these departments and the scientific principles of the methodologies. Students will also make correlations between test results and diagnosis, prognosis and disease management. Learning is assessed through homework assignments, quizzes and a final exam.

CMT 405: Laboratory Management and Operations (0.5 cr.) Spring Semester

At BR Conference room, location to be announced

This is a seminar course that includes 7.5 hours of traditional didactic material and 25 hours observing real world operational and management initiatives in the department of pathology. Topics are presented by administrative directors of the department. Learning outcomes are evaluated by assessing project work either in groups or independently.

This course provides learning experiences in the following topics: operations, laboratory informatics, finance, education, licensure, leadership and professional development, quality systems management including inspection readiness and laboratory compliance. The following principles are also included: LEAN in the clinical pathology practice, instrument/assay validation, staff competencies and preparedness, patient safety, and compliance. Topics are presented in lecture format. Students are provided with a list of required out of class assignments including researching an ongoing authentic project in the laboratory and presenting their findings to the class and administrative directors.

CMT 411: Clinical Chemistry I (2 cr.) Fall Semester

At BR Conference room, location to be announced

This is a 30 hour didactic course that provides the cognitive foundation required for students to competently apply clinical chemistry principles to the practice of clinical laboratory science. This is the first course in a series of two clinical chemistry courses in the program.

Clinical and analytical correlations are organized by analyte, including: hypothalamic and pituitary functions; adrenal functions; gonadal functions; the thyroid gland; calcium hemostasis and hormonal regulation; amino acids and proteins; non-protein nitrogen compounds; enzymes, liver enzymes and hepatitis; pancreatic function, GI, carbohydrates and diabetes; lipids and lipoproteins; and electrolytes, and blood gases, pH, and buffer systems. The chemical principles of each analyte are presented in a situational learning model that makes correlations: to disease states, interpretations of data, problem solving, and quality assurance in addition to other real world aspects of the clinical chemistry laboratory.

CMT 412: Clinical Hematology I (1.5 cr.) Fall Semester

Course content: This course picks up where MT 401 leaves off on the topic of clinical and analytical correlations to the complete blood count and peripheral blood smear examination. From there the course covers in depth discussions on hematologic disorders, including: anemia and hemolytic anemia; additional types of anemia; etiology, pathophysiology, clinical findings, laboratory findings, and therapy. The next unit covers: nonmalignant disorders of leukocytes; hematopoietic neoplasms; classification, terminology, pathophysiology of neoplasms; and the laboratory’s role in diagnosis and therapy. The final unit is on: stem cell therapy; molecular studies of neoplastic disorders; flow cytometry; and cytogenetics. Interpretations of data, problem solving, and quality assurance in addition to other real world aspects of the clinical hematology laboratory are woven throughout the course.

CMT 413: Principles of Immunohematology I (1.5 cr.) Fall Semester

At SMH conference room, location to be announced

This is a 22.5 hour didactic course that provides the cognitive foundation required for students to competently apply clinical immunohematology principles to the practice of clinical laboratory science. This is the first course in a series of two immunohematology courses in the program.

This course picks up where MT 401 leaves off on the fundamental concepts of immuno-hematology and leads into the concepts of molecular biology as they relate to: red cell genotyping; the genetic basis of blood groups including blood group polymorphisms; the ABO blood group system; and serologic testing. The Rh blood group system is the next topic in this unit covering the detection of Rh antibodies and antigens and clinical considerations. The Landsteiner Wiener Blood Group systems are also studied.  The second unit covers the antiglobulin test including: the biochemical composition of antihuman globulin (AHG) reagents and differentiation between polyspecific and monospecific reagents and their purpose; principles of the indirect antiglobulin test and the direct antiglobulin test; and factors affecting the antiglobulin test including sources of error, modification techniques. The third unit is on blood group terminology and other blood groups. Interpretations of data, problem solving, and quality assurance in addition to other real world aspects of the clinical blood bank and transfusion laboratory are woven throughout the course.

CMT 414: Clinical Laboratory Microbiology I (2.5 cr.) Fall Semester

At BR conference room, location to be announced

This is a 37.5 hour didactic course that provides the cognitive foundation required for students to competently apply the principles of clinical microbiology to the practice of clinical laboratory science. This is the first course in a series of two clinical microbiology courses in the program.

Course principles are presented in a situational learning model correlating clinical pathological findings with interpretations of data, problem solving, and quality assurance in addition to other real world aspects of the clinical microbiology laboratory. This course is a continuation of MT 401 and begins with the general principles of clinical bacteriology as they relate to: identification of gram positive and gram negative cocci; gram positive bacilli; gram negative bacilli and coccobacilli; gram negative cocci; anaerobic bacteriology. Correlations will be made to pathophysiology and diagnosis by organ systems, such as infections of the: bloodstream; lower respiratory system; upper respiratory tract; meninges, encephalitis and other central nervous system infections; urinary tract; genital tract; gastrointestinal tract; skin, soft tissue and wounds; otherwise sterile body fluids, bone marrow and solid tissues.

At BR conference room, location to be announced

This is a 30 hour didactic course that provides the cognitive foundation required for students to competently apply clinical chemistry principles to the practice of clinical laboratory science. This is the second course in a series of two clinical chemistry courses in the program.

Clinical and analytical correlations are organized by organ system, including: the immune system, innate and adaptive immunity, antibody structure, immunologic and serologic procedures, immune disorders; cardiac function and laboratory markers for cardiac disease; the renal system; toxicology, methods, drug monitoring and drugs of abuse; and trace and toxic elements (including the spectrometry, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and alternative analytical techniques). The chemical principles of for assessment of organ systems functions are presented in a situational learning model that makes correlations: to disease states, interpretations of data, problem solving, and quality assurance in addition to other real world aspects of the clinical chemistry laboratory.

CMT 422: Clinical Hematology II (2 cr.) Spring Semester

At SMH conference room, location to be announced

This is a 30 hour didactic course that provides the cognitive foundation required for students to competently apply clinical hematology principles to the practice of clinical laboratory science. This is the second course in a series of two clinical hematology courses in the program.

The first unit of this course provides an in depth study of morphologic analysis of body fluids from a hematologic perspective, including: urine, serous, synovial, cerebral spinal fluid, semen analysis, and joint fluids.

The second unit covers primary hemostasis with discussions of the vascular system and platelets in hemostasis. Secondary hemostasis is also covered and includes an in-depth discussion of: the coagulation mechanism; procoagulant factors; the coagulation cascade; fibrinolytic system; and the control mechanisms of hemostasis.

The final unit for this course covers the disorders of primary hemostasis, including the following topics: diagnosis of bleeding disorders; disorders of the vascular system; and platelet disorders. Interpretations of data, problem solving, and quality assurance in addition to other real world aspects of the clinical hematology laboratory are integrated throughout the course content.

CMT 423: Principles of Immunohematology II (2 cr.) Spring Semester\

At SMH conference room, location to be announced

This is a 30 hour didactic course that provides the cognitive foundation required for students to competently apply the scientific principles of immunohematology to the practice of clinical laboratory science. This is the second course in a series of two immunohematology courses in the program.

The first unit of this course begins with blood group terminology and leads into the detection and identification of antibodies in the clinical setting, including: the antibody screen; antibody detection; additional techniques for resolving antibody identification; direct antiglobulin techniques and elution methods; antibody titration and providing compatible blood products . Pre-transfusion testing is also covered in relation to: compatibility testing protocols; selection of appropriate donor units; crossmatch testing; and pre-transfusion testing in special circumstances.