What is clinical analysis? Definition and how to work in this field

Do you know what clinical analysis is and what this activity is used for? If you’re interested in this field or, what’s more, if you’re thinking about becoming a professional in clinical analysis, do not miss this article.

Clinical analysis: what is it and what is it for

As a first approach, we could say that clinical analysis is a type of exploratory test that involves the collection of biological samples from a patient and its examination at a laboratory to confirm or rule out a diagnosis, detect anomalies or obtain the necessary information to start a particular treatment or any other therapeutic proceeding. 

In fact, another common denomination for clinical analysis is “laboratory test”.

When it comes to sample typologies used for clinical analysis, we could cite blood, urine, fecal and tissue analysis, among others.

An in-depth look at the goals or purpose of clinical analysis at a laboratory, the following should be mentioned:

• Disease prevention thanks to early detection of anomalies. This is the case of ordinary clinical analysis, which are commonly executed at periodic health checks. These serve to confirm all parameters are within normal values or, on the contrary, to adopt corrective measures that avoid the development of potential pathologies. For instance, the periodic control of parameters such as cholesterol, glucose and many others can be used to adopt preventative measures to avoid future problems (for instance, the development of diabetes, cardiovascular pathologies, etc).

• Confirmation or rejection of medical diagnosis. Asides from direct observation and other types of diagnostic tests, clinical analysis is an indispensable tool for confirming diagnosis in the field of medicine. Depending on the type of test, results might be expressed in a qualitative manner (positive or negative) or quantitative (according to an absolute figure or a level on a scale).

• In the third place, clinical analysis can also perform a key role in the field of research. Thus, besides ordinary medical practices concerting tests and diagnosis, this type of test are normally used as part of clinical investigations for the development of new medicines or treatments, as well as the academic sector.

What should I study if I want to be a clinical analysis professional?

As you probably already know, the practice of clinical analysis involves two separate fields that mustn’t be mistaken:

• On the one hand, the execution of laboratory tests in a strict sense
• On the other hand, the prescription of analysis and, above all, its interpretation (also, subsequently, the adoption of the pertinent treatments).

The latter corresponds to medical staff. However, the material execution of the laboratory tests is undertaken by other professionals who are specialized in this area. These include laboratory technicians, laboratory assistants and other specialists in this same field. Depending on the type of laboratory, there will also be doctors, researches and other adequately qualified professionals.

As such, the variety of training options is significant. Leaving medical specializations aside, we can highlight the following types of courses:

• Firstly, regarding specialist training in higher education in the UK, we should mention the Level 2 Certificate or Level 3 Diploma in Applied Science
• Secondly, the possibility of joining a Master’s Degree in Clinical Analysis or other professional training course should also be noted. The contents, characteristics and duration of these training options greatly differ depending on the type of course.

How do clinical analysis study programs work?

The specialist training in higher education includes a modular structure that typically taps into the following content blocks:

• Management of biological samples
• General laboratory techniques
• Molecular and cytogenetic biology
• General physiopathology
• Biochemical analysis
• Immunodiagnosis techniques
• Clinical microbiology
• Hematological analysis techniques
• Clinical and biomedical laboratory projects
• Entrepreneurship
• Training at work spaces

In the case of Master’s degrees, posgraduate education and specialized courses, contents are very diverse depending on the approach and duration of each type of training. As an example, we can go through the basic structure of our Master’s in Clinical Analysis. 

In this case, it also involves a modular structure in which students are additionally offered with the possibility of specialization in five different global fields: genetics, parasitology, biochemistry, microbiology and cytology. Thus, the master’s is divided in five main blocks:

Specialization in genetics:

1. DNA
2. RNA
3. Purification, quantification, separation of nucleic acids
4. Genes and genome
5. Chromosomes
6. Study of chromosomes
7. Cellular reproduction: mitosis and meiosis
8. DNA replication and reparation
9. Transcription
10. Translation
11. Control of genetic expression in prokaryotes
12. Control of genetic expression in eukaryotes (I): transcriptional and RNA processing
13. Control of genetic expression in eukaryotes (II): translational and post-translational
14. Genomics complexity: epigenetics, imprint
15. PCR
16. Technology of recombinant DNA
17. Sequencing
18. Techniques for the hybridization of nucleic acids: Southern-blot, Northern-blog, MLPAs, microarrays
19. Mutations and polymorphisms
20. Extractions of tissue or cell samples for a genetic analysis
21. Gene therapy
22. Cancer
23. Applications of fenetic techniques 

Parasitology specialization

1. Basics of parasitology
2. Classification of parasites, different life cycles
3. Exposure of different techniques for general diagnosis
4. Parasite immunology
5. General treatment and prophylaxis
6. Endoparasites
7. Exoparasites
8. Trematode infections and how they are diagnosed
9. Cestodes
10. Nematodes
11. Exoparasites
12. Different parasite eggs
13. Most common parasitosis
14. Emergent parasitosis
15. Parasites related to fishing products
16. Theoretical design of how to design a PCR for parasite diagnosis
17. Theoretical design of the coproparasithology method both direct and via flotation 
18. Theoretical design of how to undertake a serologic test with a kit to stop parasites

Biochemistry specialization

1. Hematology
2. Biochemistry techniques
3. Immunology techniques
4. Genetic and molecular biology techniques

Microbiology specialization

1. Team
2. Bacteriology
3. Virology
4. Mycology
5. Parasitology
6. Waste management/treatment

Cytology specialization

1. Sample types
2. Processing of gynecological samples
3. Sample collection

Prevention of occupational risks:

1. Introduction
2. Physical risks
3. Chemical risks
4. Biological and biosecurity risks

Now that you know what clinical analysis is and what the available training options are, you just need to find the right training and course to round up your specialization in such an interesting field that is also a highly demanded job position.