New look for children’s game helps team learn

A microbiology team has devised a fun way to help trainees learn how to differentiate and identify bacterial cultures.

East Kent Hospitals’ chief biomedical scientist for microbiology and pathology Samantha Sheppard, and chief biomedical scientist for virology Claire Warren, created their own version of the popular children’s game Guess Who, swapping the usual faces for bacteria instead.

Instead of asking whether the picture on a card has glasses, earrings, or facial hair, they will ask questions like are they Gram negative or positive, referring to the bacteria’s reaction to the Gram stain test.

The aim is to help trainee biomedical scientists learn about the tests needed to differentiate and identify bacterial cultures – a skill at risk of being lost in the profession due to advances in technology. 

Samantha said: “The idea behind the game was to support our trainee biomedical scientists in developing their knowledge of the characteristics specific to each species of bacteria we routinely grow in our lab. 

“As a microbiologist you need to know and understand the different characteristics of the different species of bacteria, and the tests and techniques we use to identify them.

“It could be looking at the shape, or biochemical reactions such as whether it ferments glucose or lactose, or features such as whether it can move independently.”

The game has been really well received by the team, with general manager Marcus Coales keen to dust off his microbiology knowledge and have a go, and other colleagues offering to join in a game.

Samantha said: “We could also use this to ask more clinical questions, such as whether the bacteria is associated with travel or food, or its impact on immunocompromised patients.

“We hope it will really simulate the thinking around how you would identify what you as a microbiologist are looking at on the agar plate.”