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Rutgers SHP Requirements for Graduation and Course Descriptions

Department of CLS&MIS

Diagnostic Cytopathology - Entry Level

DCYT5139 - Diagnostic Cytology I

Course Description

This course provides basic theoretical concepts on exfoliative cytomorphology of the female genital and anal tracts and serves as foundational material for the study of the cytomorphology of all other body systems. The course begins with principles of microscopic detector and diagnostic skill development along with the systematic examination of cellular samples. The course provides a review of the anatomy, histology, physiology, pathology and cytology of the female genital and anal tracts with major focus on the microscopic screening and disease detection. Topics include cellular manifestations of inflammation, infection, premalignant and malignant changes as well as therapeutic and hormonal effects on cells. Laboratory emphasis is placed on microscopic histological and cytological identification of cellular samples from various parts of the female genital and lower anosquamous sites showing normal, atypical, premalignant and malignant features. Importance of clinical history, molecular aspects of disease, biopsy correlation and report writing will be stressed. The course covers principles and practices of conventional, liquid-based, and imaged screening systems. The course also includes critical analysis and synthesis of the literature.

Credits/Modes of Instruction

Credits: 4

4 credit hours/Mixed Mode
Diagnostic Cytopathology I will be offered using mixed method instruction of traditional classroom and laboratory settings over a 15-week period. Classroom instruction will use power point, class discussion, journal readings, and other modes of instruction. Laboratory sessions will involve short lectures, microscope instruction and activities. Assessments include lecture and laboratory exams, four laboratory practical examinations, two case study presentations and a final paper. Students are expected to spend 28 hours in traditional classroom and 75 hours in laboratory instruction, plus approximately 100 additional hours involved in course preparation and assignments, quizzes and exams, a term paper and case presentations over the course of the semester, for a total of 200 hours, and an average of 13-14 hours per week.

Prerequisites

The course provides theoretical instruction and laboratory practice in exfoliative cytology with focus on the morphologic features of cells and principles of systematic microscopic cellular examination and detector skill development essential for the study of all body systems. The course then moves to the cytomorphology of the female genital and anal tracts providing students with the skills to microscopically identify histologic and cytologic manifestations of normal, inflammatory, premalignant, and malignant cellular features in various parts of both tracts. Laboratory practice will provide students with the skills needed to microscopically evaluate and interpret conventional, and liquid-based gynecologic and anal screening samples.

Course Goals and Outcomes:

Goals

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Describe the embryologic origins, physiology and histologic features of the female genital and lower anosquamous tracts and their correlation with cytologic interpretation.
2. Discuss and differentiate concepts of specimen quality assessment measures such as specimen adequacy, workload standards, and basic statistical concepts for conventional and liquid based gynecologic and anal samples.
3. Critically evaluate and correlate multidisciplinary patient health data (symptoms, molecular diagnostics, treatment modalities), and medical literature in diagnostic decision-making processes and associated patient outcomes.
4. Develop strong locator skills that enable accurate detection and marking of cells representative of non-pathological and pathological processes.
5. Competently evaluate and interpret negative conventional and liquid based gynecologic samples.
6. Utilize microscopic techniques in conventional and liquid based gynecologic and anal preparations to identify, discriminate and develop a differential diagnosis for the following cellular entities:
Normal cellular entities
Various inflammatory cells and conditions
Hormonal cellular effects
Micro-organisms and associated cellular changes
Cellular degeneration
Benign proliferative changes-examples: repair, regeneration, metaplasia, adenosis
Therapy effect
Human Papillomavirus molecular and morphologic features
Pre-cursor lesions of squamous cell carcinoma
Morphologic variants of squamous cell carcinoma
Adenocarcinomas of the endocervix and endometrium and associated pre-cursor lesions
Extra-uterine malignant neoplasms (ovarian carcinoma, metastatic carcinoma)
Rare neoplasms
Benign and malignant neoplasms of the vagina and vulva
7. Demonstrate competency in accurately synthesizing, reporting, and communicating clear, concise gynecologic and anal sample findings using standardized reporting mechanisms (the Bethesda System) and basic Laboratory Information Systems techniques.
8. Critically analyze and synthesize the literature associated with principles and practices of cytopreparation, and various concepts of gynecologic and anal cytology practice.

Outcomes