AACC Unveils Online Tool to Help Students Prepare for Clinical Board Exams

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- AACC is pleased to announce the launch of the Question Bank, an innovative online tool that will make it significantly easier for laboratory medicine trainees to prepare for U.S. and U.K. board examinations.

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Despite the pivotal role of board exams in a clinical student's career, most study aids fail to cover all categories of laboratory medicine, and many use outdated and incorrectly formatted practice questions. AACC designed the Question Bank to meet the need for current, comprehensive board examination study aids.

Launching with more than 1,000 peer reviewed, up-to-date questions, the Question Bank is the most extensive collection of board practice materials for laboratory medicine disciplines to date. Contributions were made by experts in the field and scientific associations as well as private databases on such varied material as transfusion medicine, chemistry, coagulation, toxicology, hematology, immunology, hematopathology, microbiology, blood bank, bacteriology, mycology, and parasitology. As the program grows, AACC will continue to add hundreds of new questions every quarter.

Available for use with a computer or any mobile device, the Question Bank is divided into 10-question courses, each with three stages of difficulty. This makes it useful for trainees of all levels. A score is calculated at the end of each course, and if a trainee receives an 80% or better, the participant gets a certificate that can also be sent to his or her mentor. This gives participants and their mentors a quick, quantitative way to assess and track their progress.

"I believe that this program will prove invaluable to students preparing for their boards, and for anyone else in laboratory medicine who wants to test or refresh their knowledge," said Nader Rifai, PhD, editor in chief of AACC's Clinical Chemistry journal, chair of AACC's Clinical Chemistry Trainee Council, and director of clinical chemistry at Boston Children's Hospital. "The Question Bank is a one-stop shop packed with the information trainees need, and it will allow them to focus on pertinent questions rather than spending an enormous amount of time just trying to find relevant practice exercises."

In addition to AACC, organizations contributing to the Question Bank include the College of American Pathologists, the American Society for Clinical Pathology, and the Association for Clinical Biochemistry, among others.

All members of AACC's Clinical Chemistry Trainee Council can access the Question Bank for free. To join the AACC Trainee Council, register at www.traineecouncil.org.

About AACC
Dedicated to achieving better health through laboratory medicine, the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) brings together more than 50,000 clinical laboratory professionals, physicians, research scientists, and business leaders from around the world focused on clinical chemistry, molecular diagnostics, mass spectrometry, translational medicine, lab management, and other areas of breaking laboratory science. Since 1948, AACC has worked to advance the common interests of the field, providing programs that advance scientific collaboration, knowledge, expertise, and innovation. For more information, visit www.aacc.org.

About the Clinical Chemistry Trainee Council
The Trainee Council is an extension of Clinical Chemistry's educational program that aims to help laboratory medicine residents and fellows worldwide to advance their studies and launch successful careers. Founded in 2011, this unique online resource offers free access to educational materials and tools such as the Question Bank, Clinical Chemistry's Guide to Scientific Writing, webcasts, online discussions, and more.

Molly Polen
AACC
Director of Communications & PR
(p) 202.420.7612
(c) 703.598.0472
[email protected]

SOURCE AACC

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