Microbiology for MBBS includes both a practical and theoretical approach. There are a certain set of challenges in the theoretical aspects of the subject. A student of Microbiology has to meticulously prepare for the theory part of the subject by putting in adequate effort to master the concepts of microbiology. They must find out any knowledge deficit that may lead to major misconceptions in understanding the bigger picture, especially about those concepts that are interrelated with other MBBS subjects. Preparing for practicals is another important task to do to get a clear picture of the subject. A few challenges related to Microbiology practical exams are-
- Arriving
at conclusions within the limited time frame
- Planning
and executing complex procedures that often involve the use of multiple
equipment and steps
- Arriving
at the best possible outcomes despite external factors like environment,
technical error, and cultural variations
- Access
to limited resources related to microbial culture and specialized
equipment
- Difficulty
in interpreting data
- Limited scope of growth and feedback
Important Topics for Microbiology Practical Exams:
- Microscopy
- Morphology
of common bacteria
- Bacterial
growth curve
- Laboratory
diagnosis of bacterial infections
- Specimen
collection and transport
- Gram
staining
- Viral
infections- Laboratory diagnosis, microscopy, serology, cultivation, and
molecular tests
- Laboratory
diagnosis of parasitic infections- Peripheral blood smear
- Laboratory
diagnosis of fungal infections- KOH mount, Gram stain (yeast), India ink,
LPCB mount
- Acid-fast
staining
- Antigen-antibody
reaction (conventional)- Agglutination, and Precipitation
- Antigen-Antibody
reaction (newer) — ELISA, ELFA, CLIA, IFA, Western blot, Rapid methods
- Stool
microscopy
- Hand
hygiene and PPE
- Sterilization
and Disinfection
- Sepsis,
Rheumatic fever, Infective endocarditis
- Enteric
fever, Scrub Typhus, Brucellosis, Leptospirosis
- HIV
and Dengue
- Malaria,
Visceral leishmaniasis, Lymphatic filariasis
- Dysentery
(Shigellosis), diarrhea (NTS, cholera)
- Intestinal
amoebiasis, Giardiasis, Intestinal coccidian parasites
- URTI
(Beta-hemolytic Streptococci, Diphtheria)
- Throat
swab Gram staining
- Sputum
Acid fast stainingand certification
- Influenza
and COVID-19
- Laboratory
diagnosis of pyogenic meningitis
- Laboratory diagnosis of UTI
Here are a few tips to overcome the challenges of Microbiology practical exam questions.
Review
the outcomes of the experiment: After getting the
review results, make sure to examine the outcomes thoroughly. If there is
anything you can do to familiarise yourself with equipment, reagents,
procedures, and more, do it. Proficiency in laboratory functions will help a
student manage time and tasks effectively. With the workflow planned and
managed properly, a student will achieve accuracy as well as desired outcomes within
a reasonable amount of time.
Follow
SOP: Every practical session should follow SOP, or
Standard Operating Procedure, which mandates the safety protocols to be
maintained during the class. Knowing the protocols beforehand, like proper
handling of equipment, sterilization requisites, handling of hazardous
materials, proper disposal techniques, etc. helps improve performance. A good online Microbiology course can
help a student in this regard immensely. Gold-standard faculty makes a student
acquainted with the procedures and also explains the importance of each of the
safety measures.
Interpret
results: Intricate observation and interpretation of
observations and details are essential skills that determine the proficiency
and expertise of a student. A good online Microbiology course in 2023, would provide a
student with proper guidance to interpret the readings.
Follow
a systematic approach: During microbiology practical classes, students
can expect to come across a lot of data that needs to be analyzed and
interpreted. Arriving at conclusions from experimental data, backing up the
data and outcomes with concepts, facts, or clinical endings, and finally
finding the implications - are some of the regular practices in a practical
class or practical exam. Microbiology lab tests and answers are broadly based
on the practices mentioned above.
Subscribing to a microbiology course online can
help students overcome the challenges of the practicals, and ace the skills and
knowledge required for scoring high in microbiology practicals. Good online
courses demonstrate the techniques very well and in detail through recordings,
live videos, demonstrations, and video lectures.
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