Date of Submission

5-13-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Advisor

Beth Rawson

Keywords

clinical practicum, soil samples, microbiology skills, hands-on experience

LCSH

medical microbiology, soils

Abstract

All across the country, Clinical Microbiology laboratories are being consolidated into one location for an entire hospital network10. Though this helps reduce cost and staffing needs, it creates issues for the next generation of Medical Laboratory Scientists (MLS) trying to find clinical sites to complete clinical practicum rotations to complete the necessary certification processes. To combat this issue, it was proposed that MLS programs create alternative curriculums to offer in place of clinical rotations to reduce the amount of time students need in these rotations from three weeks to one week. This study investigated one alternative with the intent that it can be implemented into the curriculum and reduce the amount of time students will need on-site in microbiology rotations while providing valuable hands-on experience, therefore allowing students to get the experience they need. This study investigated organisms from soil samples, due to the ease of obtaining this specimen. The testing completed focused on the identification of gramnegative organisms from the Enterobacteriaceae family.

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