ABSTRACT
Introduction: The percentage of pathology trainees who are underrepresented minorities is low. The DEI committee established a Science, Medicine, and Cytology summer pilot program to improve exposure to cytopathology focusing on DEI. Material(s) and Method(s): An online course was developed during the Covid-19 pandemic targeting underrepresented minorities at the high school and college level, and consisted of several didactic sessions, presenting the most common procedures involving cytologists, including fine-needle aspiration, rapid onsite evaluation, and smearing techniques. Interviews of cytopathologists were also included. Participants were surveyed for their demographic information and for an evaluation of the course. Result(s): 23 participants completed the survey (Table 1). The highest level of education was high school 16 (70%), college 6 (26%), and other 1 (4%). Self-identified demographics included 2 (9%) Hispanic, 9 (36%) Asian/Asian American, 2 (8%) Black / Black American, 6 (24%) White/Caucasian, 2 (8%) African, 1 (4%) Muslim American and 1 (4%) Sudanese. Household highest level of education was high school 2 (9%), some college 1 (4%), completed college 9 (39%), completed graduate program 9 (39%), 2 (9%) preferred not to answer. 14 (61%) participants have a family member in healthcare. The program met expectations for 20 (87%). The program format was effective and appropriate for their level of education for 23 (100%). The content helpful for 22 (96%). 13 (57%) considered healthcare as a potential career. 5 (22%) considered cytology as a career (Table 2). Conclusion(s): Evaluations were excellent, generating awareness of medicine and cytopathology. Individuals with families in healthcare were overrepresented, as there were barriers in reaching underrepresented minorities. The population that signed up was influenced by our ability offer the course online. Expansion to a wider audience would increase the number of attendees. (Table Presented).
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The percentage of pathology trainees who are underrepresented minorities is low. The DEI committee established a "Science, Medicine, and Cytology" summer pilot program to improve exposure to cytopathology focusing on DEI. Material(s) and Method(s): An online course was developed during the Covid-19 pandemic targeting underrepresented minorities at the high school and college level, and consisted of several didactic sessions, presenting the most common procedures involving cytologists, including fine-needle aspiration, rapid onsite evaluation, and smearing techniques. Interviews of cytopathologists were also included. Participants were surveyed for their demographic information and for an evaluation of the course. Result(s): 23 participants completed the survey (Table 1). The highest level of education was high school 16 (70%), college 6 (26%), and other 1 (4%). Self-identified demographics included 2 (9%) Hispanic, 9 (36%) Asian/Asian American, 2 (8%) Black /Black American, 6 (24%) White/Caucasian, 2 (8%) African, 1 (4%) Muslim American and 1 (4%) Sudanese. Household highest level of education was high school 2 (9%), some college 1 (4%), completed college 9 (39%), completed graduate program 9 (39%), 2 (9%) preferred not to answer. 14 (61%) participants have a family member in healthcare. The program met expectations for 20 (87%). The program format was effective and appropriate for their level of education for 23 (100%). The content helpful for 22 (96%). 13 (57%) considered healthcare as a potential career. 5 (22%) considered cytology as a career (Table 2). Conclusion(s): Evaluations were excellent, generating awareness of medicine and cytopathology. Individuals with families in healthcare were overrepresented, as there were barriers in reaching underrepresented minorities. The population that signed up was influenced by our ability offer the course online. Expansion to a wider audience would increase the number of attendees. [Formula presented] [Formula presented] [Formula presented] Copyright © 2022
ABSTRACT
Background: Rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) of endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has been used as standard to improve diagnostic yield and to triage samples for additional testing. A method has been prompted to leveraging the expertise of cytotechnologists only or the utility of tele cytology. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our institution had to discontinue ROSE for EBUS-TBNA, and instead adopted a direct-to-cellblock approach. This study aims to determine if removing ROSE affected the adequacy of samples obtained from the EBUS-TBNA cases, and if this new approach should be employed continuously for an extended period without jeopardizing the standard of care to the patient since we are still in the pandemic. Design: We collected data of total 1903 EBUS-TBNA cases from 734 patients. 1097 cases were performed from 1/2019 to 3/2020 with ROSE on 452 patients;806 cases were performed between 4/2020 to 12/2020 without ROSE on 282 patients, and the sample was sent directly to be processed as a cell block. Data variables collected included patient's age and gender, specimen sites and frequencies, and final cytopathological diagnosis. Calculated standardized residuals and fitted multivariate generalized linear model were performed at Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute Biostats Core using software SAS 9.4. Results: On average, holding specimen site variable constant, a biopsy from a patient with ROSE is 0.936 (=exp -0.066) times less likely to be reported as 'Satisfactory' as compared to a biopsy taken from a patient without ROSE, and this difference is not statistically significant (p = 0.785). Among all 6 categories of diagnosis, biopsies reported as 'Diagnostic for malignancy' are significantly different between ROSE and no ROSE groups with the standardized residual of 1.80 (p = 0.036) & only other significantly different category was 'Other';however, a very small number of biopsies were reported in this category (3.5%). Conclusions: The inadequacy rate of EBUS-TBNA was 6.4% higher on average in cases with ROSE when compared to a directto- cell block approach in this data set, however this difference was not statistically significant. This suggests that ROSE could be discontinued in favor of a direct-to-cell block approach. Although additional studies are needed, the discontinuation of ROSE for EBUS-TBNA would decrease the time and cost burden on cytopathology service while providing the same quality of care to the patient. (Table Presented).