Clinical pathology is the study and diagnosis of disease through analysis of bodily fluids such as blood and urine. Clinical pathologists specialize in areas such as chemistry, hematology, and microbiology. They work in laboratories and are certified by the American Board of Pathology.
Clinical pathology is the study and diagnosis of disease by analysis of bodily fluids. Clinical pathologists study fluids such as blood and urine to diagnose disease. A clinical pathologist may choose to specialize in one type of pathology, such as chemistry, hematology, or microbiology.
In the United States, clinical pathologists are certified by the American Board of Pathology. This council empowers physicians in a variety of specialties. In some countries, it is not necessary to be a physician to specialize in clinical pathology. Some countries allow other medical professionals, such as pharmacists, to be licensed.
Each specialty area in clinical pathology has its own unique set of standards. Clinical chemistry, for example, focuses on the study and analysis of bodily fluids. Clinical chemistry is also known as chemical pathology. Laboratories that focus on chemical pathology do tests to measure hormone function, immune system and antibody function, and the function of drugs on the system or pharmacology.
Another specialty of clinical pathology is in hematology. These clinical pathologists work with blood banks to process donated blood so it can be put to better use. While most donated blood is donated as whole blood, it is often broken down into various components before being used.
Blood that will be used for transfusions will not have the separate components, but will have a preservative added. Part of the collected blood is spun in a centrifuge. This causes the heavier components to sink to the bottom, separating the red blood cells and plasma. Proper handling of blood after collection is essential for patient safety and to prevent waste of valuable blood.
A final specialization in clinical pathology is medical microbiology. Medical microbiology is the study of bacteria, viruses and parasites. This type of pathology is closely related to the study of immunology and the study of infectious diseases.
Clinical pathology is a medical career path that has many branches. Some clinical pathologists will work closely with others, while others will spend a lot of time alone in a laboratory. When deciding which area to specialize in, you should take into consideration how much solitary time you want as part of your workload. Regardless of specialty, few clinical pathologists work directly with patients.
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