[Recollections of the development of clinical cytology at Merkur University Hospital]. / Sjecanja na razvoj klinicke citologije u Klinickoj bolnici Merkur.

My recollections of the development of clinical cytology at Merkur University Hospital cover a 30-year period, from 1955 to 1985, and succession of generations. The beginning is always exciting, pervaded by youthful enthusiasm, while memories are quite nostalgic. That is how I also felt at the "Ruzdic's" medical biochemistry laboratory. The founders of clinical cytology at Merkur University Hospital were the clinicians Erik Hauptmann (hematologist), Zdenko Skrabalo (endocrinologist) and Zvonimir Singer (gynecologist, cytogeneticist), with great contribution by Ibrahim Ruzdic (biochemist). As the first head of cytology laboratory at University Department of Medicine, I realized what was crucial for such a successful development of clinical cytology at our Hospital; it was so because new technologies were continuously introduced in agreement with clinicians, along with the basic routine cytodiagnosis, while paying special attention to staff education (postgraduate study in clinical cytology since 1967; residency in cytology since 1974; education of cytotechnologists since 1968). A number of MS theses and doctoral dissertations have been defended at our cytology laboratories. The Section of Cytology (now Croatian Society of Clinical Cytologists, Croatian Medical Association) was founded in 1970, owing to the efforts invested by E. Hauptmann. Clinical cytologists from Merkur University Hospital contributed to the foundation of the Association of Clinical Cytologists of the then Yugoslavia and organized their first congress in 1979; in 1972, we were adopted members of the EFCS, while Z. Singer and I. Crepinko are IAC members. I wish that written memories help remember the foundation and development of clinical cytology at Merkur University Hospital because we should not forget that every future has its origin.

[Postgraduate study in clinical cytology since 1967--foundation and impact on the development of cytology in Croatia]. / Poslijediplomski studij iz klinicke citologije od 1967. godine do danas--razlozi osnivanja i utjecaj na daljnji razvoj citologije u Hrvatskoj.

In Croatia, clinicians were the first to introduce clinical cytology in the first half of the 20th century. At that time, Beata Brauzil introduced morphological diagnosis in hematology and educated a critical number of clinicians and other enthusiasts interested in cytology. Following the 1963 World Health Organization guidelines on the value of cytodiagnosis in the early detection of cancer and the need of respective education in cytology of medical students, clinicians, pathologists and other professionals, Erik Hauptmann, an internist (as the first head) and Ante Zimolo, a pathologist, initiated foundation of the Postgraduate Study in Medical/Clinical Cytology (PSMCC) in 1967. The study curriculum has since been revised twice, i.e. in 1996 with the introduction of professional studies and in 2005 as a specialist study. During the 40 years of its existence, 31 postgraduate studies have been organized, with 407 students enrolled, 380 students that completed the study and 119 students having acquired the MS degree. The efforts invested by the PSMCC students and lecturers contributed to the development of clinical cytology. The Section of Cytology and Cytodiagnosis (now Croatian Society of Clinical Cytology) of the Croatian Medical Association was founded in 1970. However, the good theoretical basis provided by PSMCC but inadequate practical work pointed to the need of the respective residency, founded in 1974. Then, PSMCC became an integral part of residency in clinical cytology. In the scope of the Croatia's pursuit of EU membership, the Task Force for Cytology of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the Republic of Croatia has prepared the Residency Curriculum Proposal within the frame of clinical morphology professions with a common basis and directed towards cytopathology. In 1968, only one year of the PSMCC foundation, Inga Crepinko organized the first form of additional training for cytotechnicians. Accordingly, the foundation of PSMCC had driven a number of factors that have resulted in 48 units of clinical cytology currently active in 21 Croatian towns, employing 128 clinical cytologists, 13 other specialists and 122 cytotechnologists.

[Role of the clinician in cytologic diagnosis]. / Uloga klinicara u donosenju citoloske dijagnoze.

In the course of continuing education for physicians on nongynaecological cytology, together with the topics about development and actual situation in clinical cytology, especially in Croatia, as well as those about the technical procedures in cytology, the clinicians' participation in the interpretation of cytological diagnosis was discussed. The term "clinicians" is used here for those physicians who need a rapid, accurate and nonaggressive morphological diagnostic method for the treatment of their patients. The central part of the course was a round-table discussion about the role of clinicians in making cytological diagnosis, with participation of cytologists and clinicians from various branches of medicine, who are either cytologists, or have a good contact with cytologists. They answered questions about the clinicians' information on cytology, about the contact and collaboration between cytologists and clinicians, and about their own experience in everyday cytological practice. The aim of this discussion was to provide sufficient information to clinicians on cytological diagnostics, and the emphasis on team-work was made.