January 2019 ACSPi RECALLS

Just a heads up, some of my answers might be wrong, I am not claiming that I am right. I just want to
give you an idea on what went down on my exam. I might be missing some few details on the questions
I’m really sorry about that but consider this as your pointers. 

1. Picture of T. saginata
2. Picture of E. coli cyst
3. Picture of T. trichiura
4. Picture of Transitional Cells
5. Picture of Cellulose acetate ph of 8.4/ Hemoglobin C (Target cells)
6. Picture of Hairy Cell Leukemia
7. Picture of neutrophils (I chose segmented only not the hypersegmented, I counted how many
segments it was only 3-4 segments)
8. Micro. Picture on the half right of the plate was blood agar. The question was what agar did they
use on the left side. It was pale yellow and has green colonies. – I chose Trypticase soy agar
other choices were Mac and Hektoen agar
9. Graphic representation of the cardiac enzymes, you just have to identify which is the CK.
10. M. Kansasii (photochromogen) – gives yellow color therefore need light
11. PT, APTT, TT prolonged – afibrinogenemia (no DIC in the choices)
12. Blood sample stored in a sodium fluoride tube- I answered BUN is not right because sodium
fluoride inhibits urease
(this was presented in a table and it has a reference range)
CREATININE elevated
BUN normal
AST ALT are elevated
13. Anti-f – I answered dce/dce (I know it’s probably wrong)
14. Osmolality definition
15. Artifact fiber : mistaken as Hyaline cast
16. Mother Rh (-)ve ; baby Rh (-)ve but positive on DAT. What to do?
17. The urine container was leaking upon receiving in the lab, the doctor requested for urinalysis
and blood culture. What should the MT do? I chose to repeat new sample for both tests.
18. Clot in the capillary tube. What is most likely to happen? Forgot some details on this question. I
answered Platelets
19. 10% KOH added to specimen and gave of a fishy odor – clue cells
20. An A(-)ve patient needs 2 units of FFP. Only one is available on their facility? – I answered
transfuse with A(+)
21. Difference between Ziehl neelsen and Kinyoun. – I answered Ziehl neelsen because it requires
heat and steam.
22. Glucose (-)ve ; Clinitest (+) – Galactosoria
23. Larval migration to lungs – A. lumbricoides
24. Liver dse (urine crystals) – Tyrosine & Leucine
25. Haemophilus sp causing eye infection that grows on sheep blood agar but does not grow on
nutrient agar. Requires X or V factor? I answered was X and V
 26. 2mL of whole blood on a 0.5mL of sodium citrate. What is the effect on the sample? I answered
that both PT and APTT results would be prolonged.
27. I had a question that I had no idea at all. This is just an example… I could not remember the
sequence but the question was.. What is most likely be the result of their child with the
following data below?
Mother Father
B8, D4, Dr14 B13, D8, Dr20
28. FFP thawed at 9am but was stored in RT until 3:30pm. What should the MT do? – I answered
discard the unit.
29. Theophylline- bronchodilator

Notes:

 Study paternity testing (I had 2 questions)

 Study and practice different cases of antibody panels (I had 6 complete panels)
 Familiarize abnormal WBC and RBC morphology (find real pictures)
 Acid-Base balance
 Lab Math
 Do not skip Laboratory Operations
 Principle of the machines
 CD markers
 Lectin

The ones you thought that are irrelevant, study them again. You don’t need to memorize, you just have
to romanticize with it again.

Tips for you and me:

 Don’t be intimidated by the antibody panels. Just look at the answers first and work your way
up. Rule-out. Check the autocontrol. Take at least 3-5 minutes to solve the panels.
 Just calm down. Don’t be nervous like me.
 I suggest not flagging the questions but write down the numbers you need to review.
 Read detailed books if you have more than 2 months to study.
 You can still study some of the previous recalls from 2014-2018, we don’t know you might get
the easy one.

Faye Pauline T. Ebcas, RMT soon to be ASCPi 

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.”