Course 1: Technical skills for clinical microbiologists

Course outline: This module provides an introductory guide for performing and interpreting antimicrobial susceptibility testing of commonly isolated bacterial isolates
Average length: 4-6 weeks
Effort: 30-40 min/ week per course
Number of courses: 5-6 weeks
Subject: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST), AST media, quality control of AST, reading and interpretation guidelines, automation in sensitivity testing
Language: English (Urdu translation is available for some modules)

Video transcripts: English

Translation: Urdu translation is available
Who is this course for? The course is created for Allied health professionals, laboratory technicians, junior faculty, medical students, interns and residents who want to learn standardized techniques to perform AST

What you will learn:
1. Understand the principles for performance, interpretation and standardized reporting of AST
2. To define the concept of quality assured AST in accordance with international standards and best practices
3. Discuss different forms of susceptibility testing including disk diffusion testing, minimum inhibitory concentration testing and Etest MIC
4. Outline requirements for safe work practices needed in AST laboratories
5. Recent advances in the field of antimicrobial susceptibility testing

Evaluation: at the completion of each module to assess the level of understanding at participants’ end
Certificate: After successful completion of course module and post –test exams score >75%
Upcoming modules: Next courses on laboratory bio safety, specimen collection, transport and processing, culture techniques, media, incubation and results interpretation, reading and interpreting CLSI guidelines, non culture based techniques, laboratory data management and antibiogram preparation, laboratory quality management system.

Acknowledgement: This course is introduced with the support of Health security partners (HSP), USA and Clinical Laboratory The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi

List of Modules