Proficiency Testing (PT)
"L"aboratory
Lab in TV Land
CLIA Permit Categories
Famous and Infamous Scientists
100

Normally encouraged within MSK, this act is prohibited when dealing with testing of PT samples prior to the submission due date.

What is interlaboratory communication? (QSA.01.04.01 EP2)

100

Painless swelling of lymph nodes is often the first symptom of this type of cancer.

What is Lymphoma?

100

The name of this title TV character has worked in two different laboratories - one in a cartoon, the other in a police crime lab.

Who is Dexter?

100

This test under the permit category of hematology has the highest volume of testing for all MSK labs combined.

What is the CBC with differential?

100

This entrepreneur and fraudster convinced investors that she could perform 100's of lab tests from a single drop of blood.

Who is Elizabeth Holmes (Theranos)?

200

When a laboratory receives an unacceptable PT result, this process is initiated to identify what went wrong, and implement changes to prevent recurrence.

What is the Exception Investigation Worksheet, RCA, and Corrective Actions? (QSA.01.02.01 EP2)

200

This process improvement methodology aims to increase productivity, customer satisfaction, and reduce costs.

What is Lean Six Sigma?

200

This TV series with a Naval laboratory has filmed over 20 different series based in several major US cities.

What is NCIS?

200

This pathology permit category includes gross and microscopic examination of tissues, including special stains and immunohistochemistry.

What is histopathology?

200

This duo were the first to accurately describe the double-helix nature of DNA at a nearby laboratory in NY.

Who were James Watson and Francis Crick?

300

Unsuccessful PT performance is defined by CLIA as a failure to achieve satisfactory performance for this.

What are 2 consecutive testing events, or 2 out of 3 consecutive testing events? (QSA.01.01.01 EP6)

300

An identification number assigned to a particular quantity or batch of materials from a single manufacturer.

What is a Lot number?

300

The laboratory staff from this TV show work to identify forensic remains and solve mysteries for the Smithsonian Institute.

What is Bones?

300

Although typically measured as a pair, these antigens are not heavy and are tested under multiple MSK permit categories including chemistry, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry.

What are kappa & lambda light chains?

300

This fictional character combined studies of electricity with corpses in an attempt to create life.

Who was Victor Frankenstein?

400

Although recommended for all tests when a PT program is available, participation in PT is only mandatory for these type of assays.

What are CMS-regulated analytes? (QSA.01.01.01)

400

This statistical method is commonly used to monitor QC performance and detect trends, shifts, or random errors in test results.

What are Levey-Jennings control charts?

400

This chemist turned to a life of crime to financially support their family during their battle with cancer.

Who is Walter White (aka Heisenberg)?

400

This permit category allows for blood transfusions to occur despite not having a blood bank onsite.

What is the Blood Services - Transfusion Storage Only?

400

This immunologist identified the ABO blood group system, allowing for the development of modern-day transfusions.

Who was Karl Landsteiner?

500
All documentation related to PT testing events must be retained for a minimum of this number of years. 

What is 2, except for immunohematology which requires 5 years? (QSA.01.02.01 EP1)

500

Term used to describe reagents, chemicals, or blood products that are relatively unstable or have a short shelf-life.

What is Labile?

500

Japanese anime portraying different cells as human characters to show their different functions in the body.

What is Cells at Work?

500

This test offered under the category of histocompatibility determines the proportion of donor and recipient cells post-transplant to predict graft failure.

What is chimerism testing?

500

The Chair of DPLM, this person has over 30 years experience as a molecular pathologist with a concentration in hematopoietic neoplasms, particularly lymphoma. 

Who is Dr. Kojo S.J. Elenitoba-Johnson?

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