Laboratory Tests and Reference Values

Start with laboratory test concepts

This page is a section of Clinical Laboratory Practice in Medicine and health (other or general). Its resources cover both laboratory procedures and reference values. They include questions about patient samples and preparation, alongside material on electrolytes and other laboratory measurements.

A useful starting point is the quiz on clinical laboratory tests. It asks about biological material used in clinical chemistry, the use of plasma with an anticoagulant, and patient preparation. Use its questions to identify concepts you want to look at more closely.

Practice reference values

After exploring test concepts, move to Lab Values or Labs. These quizzes cover values for electrolytes, including potassium and calcium. The Electrolyte Lab Ranges flashcards also cover sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate. You can use the cards to recall values, then try the quiz questions.

For a different approach, Diagnostic testing asks about reasons for analyzing patient samples and about reference intervals. Its cards include questions on the conditions used to create a reference interval and on reference individuals.

Use the mind maps alongside quizzes

The mind maps cover laboratory tests including triglycerides, troponin, potassium and the glucose tolerance test. Look at a map before returning to a quiz, and note which test names or concepts appear familiar. You can also use a quiz question as a prompt to find related material in a map.

Explore the section

Together, these user-made resources offer different ways to study this section of Clinical Laboratory Practice: questions for recall, flashcards for individual terms and values, and maps for looking across tests. The collection also includes flashcards on blood count measures and other laboratory values.

Choose a map or flashcard deck to explore alongside a quiz.