Course Format

Asynchronous, completely online self-paced on-demand via UBC Canvas Catalog. The AST&I program is designed with maximum flexibility to accommodate your professional and personal schedule. The program consists of two core courses—AST 101 and AST 102—with each course structured to take approximately six weeks to complete. While the standard track allows you to move through the full program in about 12 weeks, you also have the freedom to learn entirely at your own pace. If you need more time, you can take up to one year from your initial enrollment to complete both courses, ensuring you can balance your studies with your other commitments. Your invitation to the course website will arrive in your email one week following your registration.

Learning objectives will be logically ordered into modules and supported by multimedia content to deliver principles and reinforce applied practices in the laboratory setting.

Learning Objectives

• Appropriate selection and collection of microbiology specimen
• Isolation and accurate identification of clinically relevant bacterial pathogens
• Biological mechanisms of action and of resistance to Antimicrobials
• Review AST methods, Disk Diffusion, MIC broth microdilution and agar dilution
• Understanding breakpoints, interpretive categories, and international standards & guidelines
• Internal Quality control and Quality assurance for AST, cumulative antibiograms
• Detection of intrinsic resistance, mechanisms of resistance and appropriate reporting
• Selection of effective Antimicrobials based on laboratory information and clinical use case, including selective reporting.
• Data utilization and practical and effective implementation in the clinic setting, Effective communication within the clinical management team (including site administrators)
• AMR and One Health

Resources

Required and suggested readings include CLSI M100 and EUCAST documents, etc.

Requirements

Students should have a foundational knowledge of microbiology before considering enrollment.