Pediatric Laboratory Medicine

Students will spend two-four weeks in the Division of Laboratory Medicine at Children’s National Medical Center gaining an understanding of what tests should be ordered, how they are performed, and the clinical significance of test results. They may choose to concentrate their experience in a particular area of the laboratory (e.g. chemistry, hematology, transfusion medicine, microbiology, molecular diagnostics, biochemical genetics, immunology, or laboratory informatics) or they may choose a broad exposure to all aspects of pediatric laboratory medicine. Students are expected to present a case study highlighting the role of the laboratory in diagnosis and/or management of a disease. In addition students will attend divisional meetings dealing with laboratory test utilization, quality of laboratory testing, and laboratory informatics. Although residents do not typically participate in this elective, students will have an opportunity to interact with them during resident conferences. No weekends or call.