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Rutgers SHP Requirements for Graduation and Course Descriptions

Department of CLS&MIS

Diagnostic Cytopathology - Entry Level

DCYT5219 - Diagnostic Cytology II

Course Description

This course provides theoretical and practical concepts of exfoliative cytomorphology specific to the Respiratory, Urinary and, Gastrointestinal tracts as well as Cerebrospinal and Body Cavity Fluids. The course provides didactic and laboratory demonstration on the anatomy, physiology, histopathology and cytology of the specified sites with emphasis placed on the proper microscopic identification of benign, premalignant and malignant cellular processes as well as current, reporting terminology. Topics include cellular manifestations of inflammation, infection, premalignant and malignant changes as well as therapeutic changes. Emphasis will be placed on patterns associated with washings, brushings and scrapings. Importance of clinical history, molecular aspects of disease, correlation and report writing will be stressed. The course also includes critical analysis and synthesis of the literature.

Credits/Modes of Instruction

Credits: 4

4 Credit Hours/Mixed Mode
Diagnostic Cytopathology II 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, three 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 203 hours, and an average of 13-14 hours per week.

Prerequisites

DCYT 5139 Diagnostic Cytopathology I

Course Goals and Outcomes:

Goals

The course continues with aspects of theoretical and laboratory practice in exfoliative cytology explored in DCYT 5139 Diagnostic Cytology I with focus now on specific non-gynecologic anatomic sites. The course examines exfoliative cytomorphology specific to the Respiratory, Urinary, Gastrointestinal tracts, as well as Cerebrospinal and Body Cavity Fluids. The course provides students with the skills to microscopically identify histologic and cytologic manifestations of normal, inflammatory, premalignant, and malignant cellular features in these anatomic sites. Laboratory practice will provide students with the skills needed to microscopically evaluate and interpret conventional, and liquid-based screening modalities as well as cell blocks and ancillary techniques useful in cytologic evaluation.

Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Describe the embryologic origins, physiology and histologic features of the respiratory, urinary and gastrointestinal tracts, the central nervous system and body cavity spaces.
2. 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.
3. Develop strong locator skills that enable accurate detection and marking of cells representative of non-pathological and pathological processes.
4. Evaluate cellular preparations from non-gynecologic anatomic sites with a high degree of accuracy.
5. Competently evaluate and interpret negative conventional and liquid based non-gynecologic samples.
6. Utilize microscopic techniques in conventional and liquid-based preparations to identify, discriminate and develop a differential diagnosis for the following cellular entities:
Adequate specimen assessment
Normal cellular entities
Micro-organisms and associated cellular changes
Cellular degeneration
Cellular features of benign neoplasm
Cellular features of malignant neoplasms
Cellular changes associated with various therapeutic agents
7. Describe appropriate triage for ancillary testing on non-gynecologic samples (molecular analysis, flow cytometry etc.)
8. Develop a differential diagnosis based on synthesis of information from ancillary techniques such as immunohistochemical stains, cell block preparations and correlation with relevant concurrent of prior histologic material.
9. Develop and prepare reports using appropriate uniform reporting systems.
10. Critically analyze and synthesize the literature associated with exfoliative, non-gynecologic cytology practice.