Evaluation methods for assessing cytotechnology students' screening skills

The development of slide screening skills to achieve diagnostic accuracy is the goal of cytotechnology education. There is limited time in the typical cytotechnology training program in which to acquire the didactic knowledge as well as screening experience. It is easier to teach the morphologic cri teria necessary to refine diagnostic skills, but more difficult to teach an d acquire locator skills. A survey was conducted to document and assess met hods of evaluating screening skills utilized by U.S. cytotechnology educati onal programs. Graduation requirements and grading methods related to slide screening volume and accuracy were provided by survey participants. Curren t methods are varied, but appear to be effective in assessing diagnostic ac curacy and graduate competence. A considerable period of time is required f or students to gain enough screening experience to perform at required leve ls of volume and accuracy. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.