The student will be able to:

1. Discuss the responsibilities of the veterinary technician in a clinical laboratory setting as it relates to the veterinarian, other veterinary health care team members, and the patient.
2. Describe and demonstrate the safe and proper collections, handling, and storage of clinical samples.
3. Demonstrate skill in the proper use of various types of clinical laboratory equipment.
4. Demonstrate basic procedures in veterinary hematology.
5. Demonstrate basic procedures in veterinary urinalysis.
6. Demonstrate basic procedures in veterinary coagulation assessment.
7. Demonstrate basic procedures in veterinary serum biochemistry.
8. Demonstrate basic procedures in veterinary serology.
9. Demonstrate basic procedures in veterinary cytology.
10. Demonstrate basic procedures in veterinary clinical parasitology.

1. Responsibilities of the veterinary technician in a clinical laboratory setting
   1. Definition of clinical pathology
   2. Roles of veterinary technicians in the clinical pathology laboratory
   3. Quality control and quality assurance
   4. Laboratory safety and management
   5. Manual and automated laboratory equipment
   6. Abnormal findings with medical team
2. Safe and proper collections, handling, and storage of clinical samples
   1. Use of proper syringes, needles, containers
   2. Safe, low stress, efficient collection of samples from patients
   3. Appraise samples for suitability
   4. Correct processing and storage of samples
3. Various types of clinical laboratory equipment
   1. Refractometer
   2. Centrifuges
   3. Microscope with oil immersion
   4. Automated CBC, chemistry
   5. Fecal analysis
4. Blood smears and blood cell identification
   1. Characteristics of blood and formation of blood elements
   2. Sample collection, storage, and preparation
   3. The complete blood count
      1. Blood smear and buffy coat smear
      2. Hematocrit: packed cell volume and total protein
      3. The differential white blood cell count, including white blood cell morphology
      4. Red blood cell morphology and indices
      5. Reticulocyte count
      6. Platelet morphology, estimate and count
   4. Classification of anemia
   5. White blood cell responses in disease
5. Urinalysis
   1. Renal function and formation of urine
   2. Sample collection, storage, and preparation
   3. Examination of urine
      1. Physical examination
      2. Chemical examination
      3. Microscopic examination of urine sediment: identification and enumeration of formed elements
   4. Clinical significance of urinalysis findings
6. Coagulation assessment
   1. Platelets and primary hemostasis
   2. Clotting factors and secondary hemostasis
   3. Sample collection, storage, and preparation
   4. Bleeding time test
   5. Coagulation screening
   6. Common veterinary hemostatic disorders
7. Serum biochemistry
   1. Applications of biochemistry profiles and individual organ function tests
   2. Sample collection, storage, and preparation
   3. Principles of enzyme assay and biochemical reaction testing
   4. Quality control and reference ranges
   5. Specific biochemistry tests for evaluation of organ function
8. Serology
   1. Immunologic responses
   2. Serology and immunodiagnostics to veterinary clinical diagnosis
   3. Sample collection, storage, and preparation
   4. Methodologies used in immunodiagnostic testing
   5. ELISA technology: principles, reactants, kits
   6. Fluorescent antibody testing
   7. Interpretation of the results of immunodiagnostic tests
9. Cytology
   1. Common clinical samples and their diagnostic value
   2. Sample collection, storage, and preparation
      1. Fine needle aspirates and impression smears
      2. Swabs and scrapings
      3. Fluid analysis
   3. Vaginal cytology
10. Clinical parasitology
    1. Parasites of blood and blood cells
       1. Blood smear
       2. Dirofilaria ELISA and Knott
    2. Common gastrointestinal parasites of dog, cat, and horse
    3. Urinary parasites of dog and cat
    4. Fecal float
       1. Gravity
       2. Centrifugation
    5. Direct smear

Practical training in the American Veterinary Medical Association Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities List of Essential Skills Expected of Graduate Veterinary Technicians, using a set of standard criteria as a guideline for the accomplishment of performance objectives. Emphasis is on skill development and hands-on experience in all required areas.

Assessments
Completion of an essential skills competency checklist using standard criteria

Lecture
Discussion
Laboratory
Demonstration

Sirois, Margi. Laboratory Procedures for Veterinary Technicians, 7th ed.. 2019.

Although this text is older than the suggested "5 years or newer" standard, it remains a seminal text in this area of study.

1. Weekly reading assignments from text, class handouts, and outside sources, ranging from 50-100 pages per week.
2. Critical evaluation of common collection, handling, processing, and recording scenarios.