BIOBPRA1 Medical Biochemistry Practice Course description

The course deals with the professional role and practice of biomedical laboratory scientists, with a focus on pre- and post-analytical conditions, analysis instruments, control procedures, technology and automation systems, methods and analysis processes.

In medical biochemistry laboratories, it is the biomedical laboratory scientist’s responsibility to analyse biological material using advanced analysis instruments and assess the analytical quality of the test results. During practical training, emphasis is placed on introducing the students to procedures and quality assurance processes, and on the students acquiring an understanding of how analysis results contribute to the treatment of the patient. During the practical training, students will collect blood samples from patients and develop the ability to cooperate under supervision by experienced biomedical laboratory scientists with relevant skills and knowledge.

Passed the first year of the programme or equivalent.

The course places primary emphasis on fundamental knowledge in chemistry and is intended to form the basis for understanding chemical analytical principles that are relevant to biomedical laboratory science. Knowledge of chemistry is also an important basis for understanding subjects such as physiology, biochemistry, cell biology and molecular genetics later in the programme. In addition to providing a theoretical presentation of basic chemistry, the course also emphasises practical calculations that are relevant to biomedical laboratory scientists’ laboratory work.

Grade scale A-F.

The student must have been admitted to the study programme.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• can explain the structure of atoms and how the properties of the elements are decided by electron configurations
• can explain how atomic theory and spectrophotometry are related
• can account for the main types of chemical reactions and explain their biological relevance
• can explain the chemical structure of molecules, ions and metals by looking at the most important types of chemical bonding
• can account for intermolecular forces and their biological relevance
• can explain the reactivity of substances based on thermodynamic and kinetic principles
• can explain the classification of substances in organic chemistry and how the different substances react
• can account for the use of significant figures in practical, laboratory-relevant calculations and relate this to numerical uncertainty

Skills

The student

• can convert units of measurement relating to mass, volume, temperature, amount and concentration of substances
• can name molecules and ionic bonds
• can carry out basic stoichiometric calculations relevant to laboratory work, as well as equilibrium calculations in chemical reactions
• can perform the necessary calculations to prepare solutions with a desired concentration using different measures of concentration

General competence

The student

• can identify the relationship between fundamental chemical principles and biochemical reactions in the human body
• can identify the connection between fundamental chemistry and biomedical analysis methods
• understands the fundamental role of chemistry in relation to other biomedical disciplines

The work and teaching methods consist of lectures, thesis seminars, and self-study. Digital learning resources are used in the course in the form of video lectures, digital tests and practical exercises.

In order to be permitted to take the exam, the following must have been approved:

• an individual digital test

Supervised individual written exam, 4 hours.

• Book of tables and formulas in chemistry
• Alphanumeric/financial calculator with cleared memory. A digital calculator is available to the student during the exam

All answers are assessed by one examiner. An external examiner is used regularly, at a minimum for every third ordinary examination. If selecting answers for external evaluation, a minimum of 10 percent of the answers shall be included, with no fewer than 10 answers. The external examiner’s assessment shall form the basis for the assessment of the remaining answers.