Croatian Chamber of Medical Biochemists

International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC)

European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM)

Ministry of Health

Ministry of Science, Education and Youth

Academy of Medical Sciences of Croatia

Croatian Institute for Health Insurance

Croatian National Institute of Public Health

Croatian Accreditation Agency

Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb

PLIVA Health Portal

Croatian Pharmacy and Medical Biochemistry Students Association

Union of Medical Biochemists of Croatia

PRESIDENT
assist.prof. Ivana Ćelap, PhD, specialist in laboratory medicine
University Hospital Center Sestre milosrdnice
Department of Clinical Chemistry 
Vinogradska 29, 10000 Zagreb
Tel: +385 1 3787 481; +385 1 4828 133
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

VICE PRESIDENT
assoc.prof. Marija Grdić Rajković, PhD, specialist in laboratory medicine
Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry
University of Zagreb
Department of Medical Biochemistry and Hematology
Domagojeva 2, 10000 Zagreb

SECRETARY
assist.prof. Antonija Perović, PhD, specialist in laboratory medicine
The Private Health Care Institution Glavić
Medical Biochemistry Laboratory
Ćira Carića 3, 20000 Dubrovnik

TREASURER
Adriana Unić, PhD, specialist in laboratory medicine
University Hospital Center Sestre milosrdnice
Department of Clinical Chemistry
Vinogradska 29, 10000 Zagreb

ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY 
Jasna Đogić, dipl.oecc.
Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine 
Boškovićeva 18, 10000 Zagreb
Tel: +385 1 4828 133
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CSMBLM BODIES

MAIN BOARD
assist.prof. Ivana Ćelap, PhD, specialist in laboratory medicine, president
assoc.prof. Marija Grdić Rajković, PhD, specialist in laboratory medicine, vice president
assist.prof. Antonija Perović, PhD, specialist in laboratory medicine, secretary
Adriana Unić, PhD, specialist in laboratory medicine, treasurer
Jelena Culej, PhD, specialist in laboratory medicine, president of the Zagreb region branch
Iva Lukić, specialist in laboratory medicine, president of the Slavonija and Baranja branch
Željka Kelava, specialist in laboratory medicine, president of the Northwestern Croatia branch
Lada Baković, specialist in laboratory medicine, president of the Dalmatia branch
Merica Aralica, specialist in laboratory medicine, president of the Istria, Primorsko-goranska and Lika County branch

SUPERVISORY BOARD
assist.prof. Daniela Šupe Domić, PhD, specialist in laboratory medicine, president
Irena Linarić, specialist in laboratory medicine, vice president
Ida Gradiški, specialist in laboratory medicine, member
Marija Milić, PhD, specialist in laboratory medicine, member
Đurđa Winkler, specialist in laboratory medicine, member

COURT OF HONOR
Matea Ivić, specialist in laboratory medicine, president
Daniela Galez, PhD, specialist in laboratory medicine, vice president
Martina Ćoza, specialist in laboratory medicine, member
Anamarija Đuras, specialist in laboratory medicine, member
Ana Pocrnja, specialist in laboratory medicine, member

CSMBLM COMMITTEES

Committee for education
Chair: Andrea Čeri
Members: Matej Barišić, Krešimir Franić, Sonja Homar, Ivona Švigir

Committee on ethics and deontology
Chair: Vesna Šupak Smolčić
Members: Ivana Babić, Martina Horvat

Committee for information and public relations
Chair: Sanja Kačkov
Members: Anamarija Banovac, Martha Koržinek, Ivana Nikše, Nikolina Tomičić
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Committee for medals
Chair: Jasenka Wagner Kostadinović
Members: Lovorka Đerek, Jelena Omazić

Committee for organizational legal issues
Chair: Željka Kelava
Members: Merica Aralica, Lada Baković, Patricija Banković Radovanović

Committee for the scientific professional development
Chair: Sanja Mandić
Members: Ivana Baršić Lapić, Adriana Bokulić, Ana Bronić, Jasna Leniček Krleža, Mila Lovrić, Ljiljana Mayer, Lara Milevoj Kopčinović, Ana Mlinarić, Vanja Radišić Biljak, Tara Rolić, Andrea Tešija Kuna, Alen Vrtarić, Ines Vukasović 

Working group for pre-analytics
Chair: Alen Vrtarić 
Members: Marina Boćan, Ivana Ćelap, Petra Filipi, Marija Kocijančić, Marijana Miler, Nora Nikolac Gabaj, Ana-Maria Šimundić, Vesna Šupak Smolčić, Valentina Vidranski 

Working group for acid-base balance
Chair: Ivana Baršić Lapić
Members: Adrijana Dorotić, Lara Milevoj Kopčinović

Working group for cerebrospinal fluid diagnostics
Chair: Ana Turčić
Members: Katarina Čepić, Snježana Hrabrić Vlah, Renata Lipovec, Sabina Matejčić, Marija Mijakić, Tihana Pavošević, Vanja Radišić Biljak, Anita Radman, Pavica Šonjić, Franciska Tomić, Željka Vogrinc

Working group for extravascular body samples
Chair: Lara Milevoj Kopčinović
Members: Marija Brzak, Jelena Culej, Ivona Herceg, Anja Jokić, Irena Kocijan, Nora Nikolac Gabaj, Milena Njegovan, Alen Vrtarić

Working group for laboratory diagnosis of autoimmune diseases
Chair: Andrea Tešija Kuna
Members: Vedrana Drvar, Lovorka Đerek, Katarina Gugo, Ana Kozmar, Nada Tomić Sremec

Working group for laboratory coagulation
Chair: Ana Bronić
Members: Désirée Coen Herak, Branka Krešić, Sandra Margetić, Marija Milić, Ana Nikler, Vanja Radišić Biljak

Working group for laboratory endocrinology
Chair: Adriana Bokulić
Members: Anamarija Đuras, Koraljka Đurić, Sanda Jelisavac Ćosić, Marija Kocijančić, Sanja Krtanek, Iva Lukić, Domagoj Marijančević, Nora Nikolac Gabaj, Marija Siter Kuprešanin, Alenka Pezo, Tihana Serdar Hiršl, Lada Stanišić, Daniela Šupe-Domić, Mateja Troha, Ivana Zec

Working group for laboratory hematology
Chair: Vanja Radišić Biljak
Members: Ivona Bjeličić, Helena Čičak, Ivana Ćelap, Adrijana Dorotić, Martina Horvat, Erika Jurčić-Karlović, Višnja Jureša, Branka Krešić, Ivana Lapić, Ana Nikler, Fran Smaić, Brankica Šimac, Sanela Šimić Vojak, Leida Tandara, Ina Tekić, Franciska Tomić, Valentina Vidranski, Ivana Vuga, Dora Vuljanić

Working group for POCT
Chair: Ivana Baršić Lapić
Members: Maja Kuštro, Marija Grdić Rajković, Lara Milevoj Kopčinović, Antonija Perović, Nedjeljka Ruljančić 

Working group for seminal fluid
Chair: Tara Rolić
Members: Mario Bažant, Vikica Buljanović, Vesna Horvat, Irena Kocijan, Luka Mavrić, Anđelka Milakara, Dijana Pamuković Jaram, Tihana Pavošević, Edi Perović, Marijan Tandara

Working group for toxicology
Chair: Mila Lovrić 
Members: Marija Božović, Lana Ganoci, Dubravka Glasovac, Mihovil Horvat, Sanja Kačkov, Sanja Mandić, Ankica Mijanović Kulišić, Margita Nimac-Kalcina, Andrijana Ščavničar

Working group for tumor markers
Chair: Ljiljana Mayer
Members: Lucija Franin, Mihaela Gaće, Antonija Hanžek, Snježana Hrabrić Vlah, Robert Kolman, Sanja Mandić, Ines Sever, Milica Šostarić, Zvjezdana Špacir Prskalo, Valenina Vidranski

Working group for validation and verification of methods
Chairs: Ines Vukasović
Members: Adriana Bokulić, Ivana Ćelap, Helena Čičak, Snježana Hrabrić Vlah, Gordana Juričić, Marija Kocijančić, Mila Lovrić, Lara Milevoj Kopčinović, Manuela Miletić, Marija Miloš, Marija Siter Kuprešanin

Working group for post-analytics
Chair: Jasna Leniček Krleža
Members: Lorena Honović, Anja Jokić, Sonja Podolar, Vladimira Rimac, Jelena Vlašić Tanasković

Working group for harmonisation of instructions for patients (2013 – 2020)
Chair: Ana-Maria Šimundić
Members: Adrijana Dorotić, Ksenija Fumić, Sanja Kačkov, Kornelija Klenkar, Nora Nikolac Gabaj, Jadranka Sambunjak, Tihana Serdar, Valentina Vidranski, Jelena Vrdoljak

Working group for sweat test standardization (2013 – 2022)
Chairs: Jasna Leniček Krleža, Merica Aralica
Members: Karolina Crneković, Jelena Culej, Gordana Fressl Juroš, Verica Horvat, Dara Metzner, Dijana Pamuković Jaram, Alma Pipić Kitter, Fran Smaić, Sanela Šimić Vojak, Livija Šimičević, Valentina Verić

Working group for laboratory diagnostic of chronic kidney disease  (2013 – 2022)
Chair: Vanja Radišić Biljak (2013 – 2020), Lorena Honović (2021 – 2022)
Members: Lorena Honović, Branka Krešić, Jasminka Matica, Sanela Šimić Vojak

Working group for capillary sampling (2014 – 2016) 
Chair: Jasna Leniček Krleža
Members: Adriana Dorotić, Ana Grzunov, Miljenka Maradin

Working group for COVID-19 (2020 – 2022)
Chair: Ivana Baršić Lapić
Members: Ivana Ćelap, Renata Laškaj, Jasna Leniček Krleža

Croatian center for quality assessment in laboratory medicine (CROQALM)
Members of the professional board: Ivana Ćelap, Jelena Vlašić Tanasković, Ana Grzunov, Merica Aralica, Adriana Unić, Alen Vrtarić

CSMBLM ASSEMBLY

Branch of Zagreb region
President: Jelena Culej
Secretary: Anita Somborac Bačura
Delegates: Dijana Bjelinski, Adriana Bokulić, Karolina Crneković, Bernard Cvitković, Andrea Čeri, Helena Čičak, Adrijana Dorotić, Lovorka Đerek, Marija Fabijanec, Zrinjka Grubišić, Marina Hemar Boćan, Anja Jokić, Erika Jurčić Karlović, Monika Kovačić, Domagoj Marijančević, Ankica Mijanović Kulišić, Manuela Miletić, Dolores Pancirov, Ana Paškvan, Andrea Radeljak, Sandra Sabolić, Andrea Snagić, Darka Stošić Đurić, Mario Štefanović, Sandra Šupraha Goreta, Jelena Vrdoljak, Alen Vrtarić 

Branch of Dalmatia
President: Lada Baković
Secretary: Ivana Bilić
Delegates: Kristina Brzić, Zdravka Doljanin, Ljiljana Jurlina, Marina Njire Bratičević, Davorka Sladić, Stella Tomić, Irena Užović

Branch of Northwestern Croatia
President: Željka Kelava
Secretary: Valentina Cesar Kocijan
Delegates: Renata Lipovec, Sonja Podolar, Jasenka Trifunović

Branch of Istria, Primorsko-goranska and Lika County
President: Merica Aralica
Secretary: Jelena Vlašić Tanasković
Delegates: Patricija Banković Radovanović, Koraljka Mittel, Pavica Šonjić, Danijela Županić

Branch of Slavonija and Baranja
President: Iva Lukić
Secretary: Maja Lukić
Delegates: Melani Bodalec, Amalija Bunjevac, Maja Grabić, Marina Josipović, Ivana Marković, Jelena Omazić

CSMBLM REPRESENTATIVES

CSMBLM Representatives in International Associations within new mandate
EFLM National Representative: assoc.prof. Marija Grdić Rajković, PhD
IFCC National Representative: assoc.prof. Marija Grdić Rajković, PhD 
CSMBLM Representative in EQALM: assist.prof. Ivana Ćelap, PhD
CSMBLM Representative in European Association of Science Editors (EASE): assist.prof. Nora Nikolac Gabaj, PhD
CSMBLM Representative in Council of Science Editors (CSE): assist.prof. Nora Nikolac Gabaj, PhD
CSMBLM Representative in Committee for Publication Ethics (CPE): assist.prof. Nora Nikolac Gabaj, PhD

Representatives in Working Groups and Correspondent Members active till the end of the mandate which is defined by the particular international body
Member of the EFLM Science Committee: prof. Ana-Maria Šimundić, PhD
Member of the EFLM Working Group: Harmonization: assist.prof. Lora Dukić, PhD 
Member of the EFLM Task Group: Chronic Kidney Disease: Ana Nikler
Member of the EFLM Working Group: Artificial Intelligence: assoc.prof. Željko Debeljak, PhD
Member of the EFLM Working Group: Promotion & Publications: Tara Rolić
Member of the EFLM Task group: EFLMLabX: Tara Rolić
Member of the EFLM Task group: Young Scientists: Tara Rolić

Corresponding Member of the EFLM Working Group: Postanalytical Phase: assist.prof. Jasna Leniček Krleža, PhD
Corresponding Member of the IFCC Committee on Point of Care Testing (C-POCT): Lara Milevoj Kopčinović, PhD 
Corresponding Member of the IFCC Commitee for Harmonization of Autoimmune Tests (C-HAT): Ana Kozmar, PhD
Corresponding Member of the IFCC Committee on Clinical Laboratory Management (C-CLM): Ana Bronić, PhD
Corresponding Member of the IFCC Communications and Publications Committee (Public Relations Committee): Tara Rolić
Corresponding Member of the IFCC Committee on Reference Intervals and Decision Limits (C-RIDL): assist.prof. Jasna Leniček Krleža, PhD
Corresponding Member of the IFCC Committee for Standardization of Thyroid Function Tests (C-STFT): Valentina Vidranski, PhD
Corresponding Member of the IFCC Task Force Young Scientists: Tara Rolić

Chair of the EFLM Executive Board: prof. Ana-Maria Šimundić, PhD
Chair of the EFLM Education and Training Committee: prof. Daria Pašalić, PhD
Chair of the EFLM Task Group: European Lab Day: Tara Rolić
Chair of the EFLM Working Group: Register: Ivana Rako, PhD

Expert Consultant of the EFLM Working Group: Preanalytical Phase: prof. Ana-Maria Šimundić, PhD

CSMBLM Representatives in Domestic Scientific Educational Institutions and the CSMB
CSMBLM Representative on the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry: assist.prof. Ivana Ćelap, PhD
CSMBLM Representative in The Croatian Chamber of Medical Biochemists: assist.prof. Ivana Ćelap, PhD

CSMBLM PAST PRESIDENTS

1953 - 1957 Marijana Fišer-Herman
1957 - 1958 Davorin Peršić
1958 - 1961 Milica Perić-Božović
1961 - 1963 Nevenka Roje
1963 - 1965 Mirna Mikac-Dević
1965 - 1967 Neda Longhino
1967 - 1973 Božidar Štraus
1973 - 1975 Vera Benić
1975 - 1977 Ksenija Arko
1977 - 1980 Đurđa Janković
1980 - 1981 Ana Zimolo
1981 - 1984 Krešo Lipovac
1985 - 1988 Ernest Suchanek
1988 - 1993 Ana Stavljenić-Rukavina
1993 - 1997 Dubravka Juretić
1997 - 1999 Zlata Flegar-Meštrić
1999 - 2012 Elizabeta Topić
2012 - 2018 Ana-Maria Šimundić
2018 - 2022 Daria Pašalić

CSMBLM HONORARY MEMBERS

Prof. Anton Holasek, MD (Graz, Austria) - since April 25, 1993
Prof. Victor Blaton, MD (Bruges, Belgium) - since April 25, 2003
Prof. Mathias Müller, MD (Vienna, Austria) - since April 25, 2003
Prof. Gábor L. Kovács, MD (Pécs, Hungary) - since May 17, 2007
Prof. Jocelyn M. B. Hicks, MD (Washington DC, USA) - since June 14, 2007
Prof. Andrea Rita Horvath, MD (Szeget, Hungary / Sydney, Australia) - since June 8, 2013
Prof. Giuseppe Lippi, MD (Parma, Italy) - since June 8, 2013
Prof. Simone Zerah, MD (Bagnolet, France) - since June 8, 2013

The Croatian Society of Medical Biochemists (CSMB) was founded in 1953 as a voluntary and non-profit professional association of medical biochemists. Until 1988, CSMB had been part of the Croatian Pharmaceutical Society and afterwards became an autonomous association. In 2012, it changed its name to the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CSMBLM), in line with the current trends within the profession and with the recommendations of European and global professional associations. Today, we have more than 750 members, engineers/masters in medical biochemistry, specialists, masters or doctors of science, assistant professors and professors involved in the healthcare system, research, education or commerce.

CSMBLM has been a full member of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) since 1972, first as part of the Yugoslav Society of Medical Biochemists and since 1992 as an independent party. In 1993, CSMBLM became a member of the Forum of the European Societies of Clinical Chemistry, nowadays the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM).

CSMBLM publishes a scientific magazine Biochemia Medica (www.biochemia-medica.com) in the English language thrice a year. It is indexed by reputable citation databases such as Current Contents (CC), Medline, PubMedCentral (PMC), Science Citation Index Expanded™ (SCIE, Thomson Reuters), JournalCitation Reports/Science Edition (JCR, Thomson Reuters), EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, Scopus, CAS (Chemical Abstracts Service), EBSCO/Academic Search Complete, DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals).

A significant task, regularly carried out by CSMBLM since 1970, is the external assessment of the performance quality of all medical biochemistry laboratories in the Republic of Croatia. The external evaluation programs are updated and continually expanded according to the needs of the profession and in line with the European organizations for labor quality assessment (EQAL). Assessment results are the basis for the rating of medical laboratories carried out by the Croatian Chamber of Medical Biochemists.

CSMBLM organizes monthly meetings of its members, annual symposia and a national congress with international participation every three years.

All news and announcements are available on CSMBLM official web page (www.hdmblm.hr/en/) or via members' e-newsletter. 

 

Medical biochemistry

The activity of medical biochemistry is regulated by the Health Insurance Act (Official Gazette 117/03), Healthcare Act (Official Gazette 150/08) and Act on Medical Biochemistry (Official Gazette 121/03). Within the healthcare system, medical biochemist is acknowledged as one of the four academically educated professionals in medicine (Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Dental Medicine, Master of Pharmacy, Master of Medical Biochemistry, and Engineer of Medical Biochemistry).

The same law regulates the work of laboratory employees as well. The initial license for medical biochemistry practice within the healthcare system is issued to applicants by the Croatian Chamber of Medical Biochemists following a mandatory one year of internship in a medical biochemistry lab and after passing a professional exam at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. The plan and program of the internship is prepared by the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry and CSMBLM and regulated by the Ordinance of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

The Croatian Chamber of Medical Biochemists ("the Chamber") was founded in 1995 as a mandatory professional association of medical biochemists working within the healthcare system pursuant to the Healthcare Act (Official Gazette 75/93). According to the same Act, the founders of the Croatian Chamber of Medical Biochemists are the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry of the University of Zagreb and the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemists. This Act introduced the so-called labor permit or license, which is issued for a period of six years. The Croatian Ministry of Health has authorized the Chamber for licensing medical biochemists working in medical institutions.

Accordingly, a program of continuous professional development of medical biochemist has been organized. For the purpose of continuous development, the Chamber acknowledges points achieved through various development programs organized by the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry (science degrees), Croatian Society of Medical Biochemists (symposia and congresses), Croatian Chamber of Medical Biochemists (courses) and other scientific institutions, as well as the publication of research results. The license is extended each six years based on the number of points achieved, as the criterion for continuous development stipulated by the Chamber's Regulation.

 

Accreditation of medical biochemistry laboratories

In cooperation with the Chamber, CSMBLM worked on the acceptance of the international standard for medical laboratory quality ISO 15189:2003, which has been accepted as the baseline standard for the accreditation of medical laboratories in European countries. In 2006, the Croatian Standards Institute accepted the standard as the Croatian norm for quality assessment of medical laboratories titled HRN EN ISO 15189:2006 Medical laboratories – Particular requirements for quality and competence, translated into the Croatian language in the same year. In accordance with the EA (European Co-operation for Accreditation) policy, national accreditation bodies, i.e. members of EA, accepted the ISO 15189:2003 standard for practical application in accreditation in 2003. In 2006, the Croatian Accreditation Agency (CAA) in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare started with activities aimed for the development of the accreditation scheme for medical laboratories according to the HRN EN ISO 15189:2006 requirements and as early as in 2007 first medical biochemistry laboratories were accredited in Croatia. The evaluation in the course of accreditation is participated in by specially educated medical biochemistry specialists as professional evaluators.

 

Education of medical biochemists

In 2005, the medical biochemistry study program at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry became a five-year program in line with the higher education reforms in the Republic of Croatia ensuing from the acceptance of the Bologna Declaration. This new concept places special emphasis on the multidisciplinary character of the profession in order to secure foundations for a quality implementation of recent scientific breakthroughs in a clinical environment. The program is harmonized with the recommendations accepted in the majority of Europe's countries in relation to working in medical biochemistry laboratories, as encompassed by the European Syllabus for the Training in Clinical Chemistry. The education program of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry foresees a five-year education cycle, which, according to the Act on Scientific Activity and Higher Education, ends in receiving the title of Master in Medical Biochemistry. The difference in relation to the previous study programs is that professional courses are included in the program from the very first year and a large number of elective courses are offered as well. The courses are organized so that 28% basic courses, 12% biomedical courses, 45% professional courses and 15% elective courses are on offer. The program is implemented with the maximum correlation between the basic and professional courses, and professional practice is introduced already in the first year. The courses are rated according to the ECTS system and can be transferred to other higher education institutions. The proposed teaching plan is carried out in cooperation with the Faculty's teaching staff at clinical hospitals' laboratories. The study program of medical biochemistry is available as an integral study program at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry of the University of Zagreb. After the completion of studies, students are awarded the title of Master in Medical Biochemistry, instead of the former title of graduate Engineer of Medical Biochemistry.

With the introduction of the Bologna Process in the higher education in 2005, requirements for attaining a doctoral degree have changed as well. During the same year, the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry of the University of Zagreb saw the introduction of a three-year doctoral study program consisting of basic, modular, methodological and elective courses. Generally, it takes about 5-6 years to complete this program and defend doctoral dissertation, after which candidates attain the academic degree of a Doctor of Science (PhD).

 

Specialist training

New specialization program in medical biochemistry and laboratory medicine is regulated by the Ordinance of specialization in health of Ministry of Health and Welfare (NN 73/08). Under this Ordinance medical biochemist can specialize in medical biochemistry and laboratory medicine or analytical toxicology. Only masters of Medical Biochemistry, who graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, may continue further specialization in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. Masters of Medical Biochemistry and Masters of Pharmacy, who graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, may continue further specialization in analytical toxicology.

New specialization program in medical biochemistry and laboratory medicine lasts 4 years. The program consists of lectures during the one-year postgraduate program, which also includes starting a four-year specialist experience in medical biochemistry laboratories that have been accredited for the training of medical students and residents from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in accordance with the proposal of Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry and the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemists. Upon completion of training, a specialist in medical biochemistry and laboratory medicine is a specialist who independently organizes all analytical procedures in medical laboratory and is responsible for every single employee who participates in the analytical work. Also participates as advisory health worker in the selection of diagnostic tests and explanation of expected and interpretation of unexpected test results.

New specialization program in analytical toxicology lasts 4 years. The program consists of lectures during the one-year postgraduate program, which also includes starting a four-year specialist experience in analytical and medical-biochemical laboratories that have been accredited for the training of medical students and residents from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in accordance with the proposal of Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry and the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemists. Upon completion of training, a specialist in analytical toxicology is an expert who independently organizes all analytical procedures in the laboratory of Analytical Toxicology and Pharmacology and bears full responsibility for every single employee who participates in the analytical work. Also participates as advisory health worker in the selection of diagnostic tests and explanation of expected and interpretation of unexpected results of toxicological analysis and opinions.

 

Clinical Chemistry Tradition in Croatia

Clinical chemistry has been a separate professional field in Croatia since 1937 when the first medical biochemistry laboratory was founded as an independent unit at the Clinical Hospital Merkur in Zagreb by Professor Ibrahim Ruždić.

The starting point in the undergraduate education of clinical chemists was the introduction of clinical chemistry as a subject into the academic curriculum of the study program of pharmacy in 1946 by Professor Marijana Fišer Herman.

In 1962, the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Zagreb was reorganized into three undergraduate programs: pharmacy, nutrition and medical biochemistry and was renamed to the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry. Since 1963, the study program took 8 semesters to complete.

In 1986, the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry saw the introduction of a completely new organization of university programs and medical biochemistry became a separate study program. This new and significantly improved program included new mandatory courses (molecular and cell biology, immunochemistry and immunology, molecular medicine, laboratory organization and management), as well as elective ones. A new component of such program was the acquisition of practical knowledge by active participation of students in clinical hospital laboratories' work. In 2002, the study program of medical biochemistry was extended by one semester to comprise 9 semesters overall. A professional who completed the studies in medical biochemistry would attain the title of a graduate engineer in medical biochemistry.

In 2005, the medical biochemistry studies at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry were converted into a five-year study program, following the Croatian higher education reforms based on the acceptance of the Bologna Declaration. The program was harmonized with the recommendations accepted in the majority of Europe's countries and is comprised of a one five-year cycle of education required to attain the title of a Master in Medical Biochemistry (mag.med.biochem.).