Diagnostic microbiology uses microbiology to diagnose medical conditions caused by bacteria, protozoa, and fungi. Diagnostic microbiologists work in laboratories to identify and study organisms, develop new diagnostic techniques, and test drugs for effective treatment. They also play a role in epidemiology by tracking and studying epidemics. Extensive training is required for this field.
Diagnostic microbiology is a specialty of the sciences that focuses on the application of microbiology to medical diagnosis. Like other microbiologists, diagnostic microbiologists tend to work in a laboratory environment, which allows them access to a variety of equipment that they can use to identify and study the organisms they encounter. People in this field may work in laboratories that handle diagnostic tests for hospitals and clinics, and they may also work in research and development, helping to develop new diagnostic techniques and treatments for microbial infection.
Microbes such as bacteria, protozoa and fungi play a role in many disease processes. When a patient presents with a condition caused by an infection, the physician often wants to determine which organism is responsible so that the best treatment can be selected. A diagnostic microbiologist takes a sample collected from the patient and grows it to see what grows, returning the results to the doctor.
In addition to being involved in identifying a disease-causing organism, diagnostic microbiology can also form part of developing a treatment plan. Many microbes have developed drug resistance, for example, so a microbiologist may be asked to test various drugs with the cultured organism to find the most effective treatment. A clinical microbiologist may also be asked to look for signs of multiple infectious organisms or provide information about the pathology of the infection.
Diagnostic microbiology can also be applied to epidemiology. Clinical microbiologists are often involved in the early stages of tracking and studying epidemics, to identify the organisms involved, find connections between them, and help develop an approach to stopping the epidemic and treating people who have become infected. Your skills are also used to determine who belongs in the epidemic and who doesn’t, using your diagnostic skills to track infections as they spread and to distinguish between people with common infections and people involved in an infectious epidemic.
People working in the field of diagnostic microbiology often receive extensive training. The nature of training can vary depending on where the scientist works. Laboratory technicians who cultivate and identify routine specimens, for example, tend to have less training than people who work as epidemiologists who deal with new and unknown organisms while facing a threat to public health. People interested in careers in diagnostic microbiology should plan for many science and math courses.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
