Clinical Chemistry Syllabus for 2021-2022
Return to Syllabus List

Instructor Information

Course Information

COVID-19 Protocols

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Student Service Center office 112. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

Amarillo College Web Accessibility Policy Statement

Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.

If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

The Tutoring for Success policy applies to any student whose grade or performance in the course falls below a departmentally determined minimum threshold. In either of those cases, the instructor will direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. Under this policy, the instructor will follow specific departmental guidelines governing the use, duration, and grade component of the tutoring need.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

MLAB-2401-002 Clinical Chemistry

Prerequisites

Course Description

An introduction to the principles, procedures, physiological basis, and significance of testing performed in Clinical Chemistry. Includes quality control, reference values, and safety.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(4 sem hrs; 3 lec, 3 lab)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Clinical Chemistry: Fundamentals and Laboratory Techniques, Donna L. Larson. 2017, ISBN: 978-1-4557-4214-1

Mosby's Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference,  2015, ISBN: 978-0-323-22576-2 
(Also available as an ebook:( Click here )

Supplies

The following includes a general list of lecture and lab supplies: 

• Textbook(s) and/or lab manual
• Calculator
• Transparent ruler
• Portable tablet or laptop for in class testing with Respondus lockdown browser installed
• Internet access
• Printer and printing supplies
• Moisture/fluid resistant lab coat
• Facial shields
• Sharpies
• Pens/pencils/paper
• Handouts

 

Student Performance

END-OF-COURSE OUTCOMES
Upon the completion of this course, the student will be able to do all of the following with at least 70% accuracy as evaluated by the faculty in the program: (Reference: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board-Workforce Education Course Manual)

1. Apply principles of safety, quality assurance and quality control in Clinical Chemistry;
2. Evaluate specimen acceptability for chemical analysis;
3. Compare and contrast human body chemistry levels under normal and abnormal conditions;
4. Explain and perform procedures found in a clinical chemistry laboratory; and
5. Evaluate laboratory test outcomes and correlate test results with patient condition(s).

Specific learning/behavioral objectives for each lecture section and each laboratory exercise are distributed as part of the lecture/laboratory handouts.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

• Copying from another student's test/assignment paper.
• Using test materials not authorized by the person administering the test/assignment (ex: notes, books, etc).
• Collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during a test/assignment without permission from the test/assignment administrator/instructor.
• Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, or soliciting, in whole or in part, the contents of an administered/unadministered test/assignment.
• The unauthorized transporting or removal, in whole or in part, of the contents of the administered/unadministered test/assignment.
• Substituting for another student, or permitting another student to substitute for one's self, to take a test/assignment.
• Bribing another person to obtain an administered/unadministered test/assignment or information about an administered/unadministered test/assignment.

• Attendance
• Character
• Teamwork
• Appearance
• Attitude
• Productivity
• Organization
• Communication
• Cooperation
• Respect

1. Being asked to leave class for the remainder of the day
2. Mandatory conference with the Dean of Health Sciences
3. Conference with the Vice President of Student Affairs and a permanent entry in the student's official program record
   
   The ONLY exception that will be made is if the student has discussed the situation with their instructor beforehand, and ONLY for emergency purposes.

Grading Criteria

The lecture and laboratory components of this course will be weighted as follows:
Chemistry Lecture = 65% of the total grade

Chemistry Final = 25% of the total grade
Chemistry Lab = 5% of the total grade
Work Ethics = 5% of the total grade

Seven major examinations will be given over the lecture and reading material. A comprehensive final will also be given at the end of the course in both the lecture and laboratory portions of this course. There are homework questions for each chapter that must be completed before the beginning of the class in which that chapter will be discussed.  At the beginning of class there will be a quiz over the homework questions and if the student has not completed the homework questions they will not be allowed to take the quiz. A total accumulative point system is used, and then the points are weighted according to the categories, as noted above, in order to calculate the final grade average and is comprised of the following:

• Assignments (Lab experiments, 5-15 points possible, lab study questions, 10 points possible; Notebooks, 50 points possible; etc.)
• 7 major Lecture Examinations (100 points possible per exam), 1 lab practical (300 points possible)
• 1 comprehensive final exam (Primarily covers lecture material, however laboratory procedures may be included, in the context of their relationship to the lecture material)
• Quizzes (10-50 points possible, each)
• Work ethics: (0-10 points possible per lecture and per lab, based on student demonstration of positive work ethic qualities, as evaluated by their instructor(s)). In addition, there will be discussions over each of the work ethics. Students will be required to post answers and also to give feedback regarding other student's postings. Each work ethic assignment will be worth an additional 10 points, based on the grading rubric for discussions.

1 comprehensive lecture final exam (200 points, possible)
1 comprehensive lab exam, with written and practical components (200 total points, possible)

The grading scale used for this course will be applied as follows:  

• A = 90.0% - 100.0% of the total points possible for this course
• B = 80.0% - 89.9% of the total points possible for this course
• C = 70.0% - 79.9% of the total points possible for this course
• F = 69.9% or less of the total points possible for this course

NOTE: A grade of 'D' is not possible

Points earned throughout the semester WILL NOT be rounded when computing the final semester grade.

MANDATORY SKILLS BUILDING/TUTORING
In an effort to increase retention in MLT courses, and to assist students having difficulty understanding complex subject areas, any student who scores below a 75% on any exam (excluding the Final Exam) must complete a mandatory skills building assignment before taking the next exam. Before receiving a skills assignment, students must first schedule a time with the instructor. The assignment will be given at that time.  

INCOMPLETES
Incompletes are granted only for emergency situations such as hospitalization of the student just prior to the final exam, serious injury to the student on the day of the final exam, etc. Incompletes will not be granted for situations involving vacation plans, transportation difficulties, appointments, etc. Students who need to request an incomplete must do so prior to the scheduled time of the final exam with appropriate documentation given to the instructor.

 

DROPPING/WITHDRAWING FROM CLASSES

 

No administrative drops/withdrawals will be initiated by program officials.  It is the responsibility of each student to drop or withdraw from a course.  Students can drop a course ACconnect, and must do so prior to the last day to drop/withdraw as posted on the Amarillo College Master Calendar.  Students should be aware that failure to attend class does NOT result in being automatically dropped from a course, and WILL result in a grade of “F”. 

 

Students should be advised that they may repeat a MLAB course only one time, and may repeat no more than two courses while enrolled in the program. The term “repeat” shall be interpreted to mean re-enrollment following withdrawal, drop or an unsatisfactory grade from a class. Students who are forced to completely withdraw from the college during a given semester may re-apply for admission to the program. Once the student has actually begun the program, he/she must complete all MLAB major courses within 36 months.

 

Examinations and quizzes may not be made-up. 

Late assignments will not be accepted, and laboratory sessions cannot be made-up under any circumstances, due to the nature of the laboratory environment and viability of specimens. Students are also responsible for gathering the information that was covered in lab during their absence, but strongly encouraged to complete and submit all questions for each lab on or before the due date , in order to receive at least some credit for the missed lab.

Final examinations cannot be made up, unless an incomplete has been granted, and missing the exam will automatically result in an exam grade of "F".

Attendance

Attendance and punctuality will be noted in this course in both lecture and in lab. Additionally, punctuality will be appraised in turning in assignments, completing exams and activities, labs, quizzes, etc. Students should be aware that these are an important component of their Work Ethics evaluations each week.

Calendar

Additional Information