Clinical Chemistry
The term clinical chemistry describes the analytical recording of chemical parameters that result from physiological or biochemical processes in the body. In a narrower medical sense, it belongs to the sub-areas of laboratory medicine , where it deals with pathological changes of diagnostic relevance. The chemist Johann Joseph von Scherer is considered to be the eponym and co-founder of clinical chemistry, who in publications from 1843 onwards referred to his Würzburg laboratory as a “clinical-chemical laboratory”.
Methods
A variety of methods are used in clinical chemistry. With the help of inorganic chemistry, electrolytes and possibly heavy metals can be determined. Methods of organic chemistry and biochemistry are used to determine proteins , lipids , carbohydrates including glycosylation patterns and the like. The methods of molecular biology , especially PCR in numerous variants, are used to determine changes in the genetic material .
Clinical chemist
The “Clinical Chemist” certificate entitles the holder to head a clinical chemistry laboratory . It was brought into being by the German Society for Clinical Chemistry , which later merged with the German Society for Laboratory Medicine under the name German Association for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine e. V. (DGKL), which publishes the journal LaboratoriumsMedizin - Journal of Laboratory Medicine .
The certificate can be obtained by doctors after their license to practice medicine and by chemists, biologists and biochemists after the diploma examination. The further training lasts five years, of which at least four years must take place under the guidance of a clinical chemist in a laboratory serving medical care; one year can also be carried out in another medical laboratory. A scientific work in analytical chemistry or biochemistry is credited with up to one year.
To be recognized, at least two scientific papers must have been accepted or published in a scientific journal with peer review. In addition, a final exam must be passed.
For pharmacists, i.e. pharmacists who have obtained their license to practice medicine after completing the practical year, there is also the possibility of further training to become a specialist pharmacist for clinical chemistry. Training as a specialist pharmacist takes an average of three years and ends with an examination.
Doctors who have obtained a medical license can also complete further training to become a specialist in laboratory medicine. Laboratory medicine encompasses all of clinical chemistry and additional specialties, so it is more comprehensive. The training to become a specialist in laboratory medicine usually lasts five years.
Web links
- German Society for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine e. V.
- Professional Association of Natural Scientists in Laboratory Diagnostics e. V.
- Professional Association of German Laboratory Doctors V .
Notes and individual references
- ↑ Further pioneers in the field of modern clinical chemistry were Johann Franz Simon (1807–1843) and Johann Florian Heller (1813–1871).
- ↑ Christina Renata Grund: Johann Joseph von Scherer's letters to Justus von Liebig. Scope of the corpus and content-related aspects. In: Würzburger medical historical reports , Volume 11 1993, pp. 101-106; here: p. 101.