Advanced (Mid-Level) Pathology Practitioner Report

Exploring avenues for best use of cytotechnologists in non‐gynaecological cytology: Double screening or independent sign‐out

“…In the UK, there is an attempt to define the educational basis for formalising the role of CTs (biomedical scientists) by providing the Diploma of Expert Practice in Non‐Gynaecological Cytology offered by the Institute of Biomedical Science . In the USA, the American Society of Cytopathology deserves credit for initiating a process to build a training framework for Advanced (Mid‐Level) Pathology Practitioners, and address the scope of practice for the future graduates from the planned new training programmes. While the appropriate training requirements cannot be overemphasised, our data suggest that our current practicing pool of CTs appears to be prepared to issue reports on a limited selection of low complexity negative NGC cases.…”

Specimen acquisition: ROSEs, gardeners, and gatekeepers

“…Cytotechnologists should be encouraged to develop confidence in their interactions with the clinicians, and clinicians in turn should be made aware of the important contributions cytotechnologists can make to ensure an adequate specimen . The American Society of Cytopathology is developing a mid‐level practitioner program aiming at developing cytotechnologists as “pathologist extenders.” As an example, the cytotechnologist's valuable skills also have been used for assistance in pathologist‐performed ultrasound‐guided FNAs. As such, new and future education curricula most likely should be designed to include skills for ROSE.…”