Self Reflection Report Sample

My journey to the microscopic world of bacteria can be likened to a child exploring the world for the first time. As the child discovers the world, she also learns several survival skills along the way. In the same manner, all the knowledge I learned from Microbiology class and laboratory sessions regarding microbial world equipped me to identify bacterial unknowns from a clinical sample. The task was to successfully separate and accurately identify two bacteria of a specimen taken from an abscess to safely and effectively treat the patient. A clinical sample # 76 was handed over by the professor with a microbiology requisition. Requisition stated that the source of the specimen was from an abscess with a nosocomial etiology, bacterial routine culture; gram stain, and susceptibility testing requested. The methods and procedures that was learned and followed in this report are written in …show more content…
The initial procedure was done to isolate pathogen from patient normal microbiota or other contaminants via plate streaking on four selective and differential media namely: Mannitol salt agar (MSA) to inhibit the growth of most organisms and differentiate possible pathogenic staphylococci, Phenylethyl alcohol (PEA) agar to grow gram-positive organisms, Eosin methylene blue (EMB) agar to cultivate gram-negative bacteria and isolate fecal coliforms, and Nutrient agar for a general purpose to support the growth of the unknowns. All plates were incubated at 35˚C for 24 to 48 hours. Bacterial growth, colony-descriptions, colonies and plates color and color changes were observed, recorded, and pictures were taken as well. Subculture was done for the two organisms that were isolated from these four media through streak plate method onto nutrient agar plates. Gram stain performed on each young subculture of unknown bacteria (less than 24 hours old) for an accurate results and the first important step to identify the