Case of the Month - January 2026

Case of the Month - January 2026

Each month we will list an interesting case from our laboratory medicine files. This is a great opportunity to learn the impact of laboratory medicine in clinical practice! Can you rise to the challenge and solve the case?

On this form you can:
1. submit your answer to the case of the month
2. sign up to attend the related lecture on January 13.

Anyone can submit a response to the case, but only medical students at U of T are eligible to attend the associated lecture.

Find out more about Case of the Month: https://lmp.utoronto.ca/case-month

Attending the lecture:

This in-person and online lecture will discuss the case featured on our website and social media and give the result.

If you attend the lecture and introduce a friend who has never been before, you will receive a $20 gift card!

You must be a current medical student at the University of Toronto to attend this lecture and enter the competition.

Tuesday, January 13, 2026
5 - 7 pm

MSB 6222
6th floor of the Medical Sciences Building

Food and drink will be provided!

Name Name First Last
Email
I am a medical student at U of T.

I am a medical student at U of T. Yes No I am a current LMP student
I will attend the lecture:

I will attend the lecture: In person Online I will not attend (to win a prize you must attend)
Would you like to be added to your mailing list to hear more about laboratory medicine for medical students?

Would you like to be added to your mailing list to hear more about laboratory medicine for medical students? Yes No
1. What are three criteria (observable by gram stain) that are used by the microbiology laboratory to determine if a sputum specimen is appropriate for bacterial culture, and why are these criteria in place?
2. The above gram stain shows an organism that will require urgent communication to the ICU team, as well as your laboratory staff.

a) What feature(s) suggest that this is not a typical bacterial pneumonia?
b) What actions might you ask your microbiology staff perform to ensure we can safely identify this organism (for bonus points, what is this organism)?
c) What might you recommend the ICU team do in terms of empiric antimicrobial therapy for this patient?
3. What is meant by the term “Risk Group” and how does the concern for a Risk Group 3 or Risk Group 4 organism impact how specimens are worked on in a diagnostic Microbiology Lab?
How did you hear about this?

How did you hear about this? Poster in MSB Email from MD Program/MD social listserv Email from Special Interest Group (LMIG) Social media From a friend/peer/teacher etc Other (please specify) Other (please specify)