Continuing Education for Cytotechnologists (CEC) Program

Introduction
This continuing education scheme has been designed by the A.S.C for use by non-medically qualified persons engaged in the practice of diagnostic cytology. Its introduction provides both encouragement and a means by which we can all keep up to date and achieve best practice within our chosen discipline. The scheme is a product of research into an assessment of other similar schemes in this and other countries and takes into account the diversity of educational background of the individual and laboratory size, location and complexity.

Registrants Role
The process is essentially self driven (see "Candidate Instructions"). Upon registration with the scheme you will be provided with a diary. This gives details of the various forms of continuing education which can lead to the gaining of credit points. Educational activities which have been undertaken are recorded in the diary and this is your individual responsibility. At half yearly intervals you will be required to forward the record sheet of the diary to the CEC Registrar for inclusion in the data base and appropriate feedback.

In House Co-ordinator
Laboratories will need to identify a person, usually a local experienced cytology person, who can act as facilitator to encourage participation. The In House Co-ordinator will help provide access to continuing education and offer local encouragement. (See "Guidelines for In House Co-Ordinators").

It is the responsibility of the individual not only to register but to participate in the scheme and give the appropriate feedback to the A.S.C. The facilitator has no responsibility to ensure compliance.

Role of the A.S.C.
As the sponsor of the Scheme the ASC will act as a registry. The Society will provide the CEC diary and act as a data base gatherer of individual continuing education activities. Participants demonstrating successful compliance will receive a participation certificate together with a peer profile of continuing education activities.

Scheme Detail
The scheme is divided into groups of activities. Some can be initiated by yourself, eg journal reading, poster preparation, manuscript writing; and accessing Webb site and other electronic teaching systems. Other group activities include tutorial reviews, scientific meeting attendance etc. The scheme requires that you select a reasonable range of activities in that activities should be selected from 4 out of 8 groupings.

Recording of Activity
The diary is arranged to provide you with a means of recording the detail of all your continuing education activities. This part of the diary is for your own records and these should be kept by you. The diary also provides for a summary of credit points to be listed (CEC Activity Data Sheet). It is this page only that should be forwarded to the Registrar every six months.

Registrar
The ASC will nominate from its membership a person to act as Registrar for the CEC scheme and this individual will be supported by a secretary. The registrar will be the contact point as far as interpretation and implementation of the ASC scheme is concerned.

Credit Accumulation
Registrants will be required to gather 600 points/annum to obtain a certificate of participation.

Audit
Like any reputable self driven scheme provision for an occasional audit is to be set in place. It is proposed to call in 20% of CEC diaries for sighting by the Registrar.

Certificate of Participation
Persons who are registered with the scheme will receive a certificate of participation at the end of each year.

Guidelines for In-House Co-Ordinators
The CEC Working Party has identified that for the program to be successful a local in-house experienced cytology person (medical or non-medical) should be available to act as a facilitator/mentor. It is envisaged that a single co-ordinator for each work place would be selected; the person chosen may have an established role in Quality Control or staff education. The role of these persons would be to help direct candidates to sources of CEC both within and external to the laboratory and would also make themselves available for general advice. There would be no obligation on the in-house co-ordinator to police the system, or be involved in submitting information to the CEC Scheme, or evaluating the feedback provided to an individual registrant. However the in-house co-ordinator should inform the CEC Registrar of any problems arising with the CEC program.

Candidate Instructions
Complete the Registration Form and send it to the CEC Registrar. If you are not a member of the ASC you should enclose a cheque for $170 made payable to the "Australian Society of Cytology Inc". The Registrar will then forward your diary which includes full details of the scheme and a means to file records of your CEC activities.

The diary includes a master copy of an "Individual CEC Activity" and an "Group CEC Activity" record sheet. Obtain good quality photocopies of these sheets so that you can enter details of your continuing education activities. File these sheets in the folder supplied. The diary also contains a table summarising the credit points allocated for both individual and group activities. Credits must be acquired from a minimum of FOUR of the total number of categories in any one year.

At six monthly intervals complete the yellow "Half Yearly CEC Activity Data Record" sheet. Take a photocopy for your file and forward the original to the CEC Registrar.

Continuing Education Categories

1. Individual CEC Activities

Category 2: Learning programs.

• Teaching sets eg glass slides, transparencies (10 credits per hour).
• Audio-videotape instructional material (10 credits per hour).
• Computer based learning activities eg Website access (10 credits per hour).

Category 3: Self Assessment Program, quiz, tests, puzzle tray like sessions etc (10 credits per hour).

Category 4: External QAP/Proficiency Testing Program (5 credits per hour).

Category 5: Teaching and Research

• Lecture/Workshop/Multiheader session (10 credits per session).
• Oral presentation (20 credits per presentation).
• Poster presentation (20 credits per poster).
• Teaching, oral and poster preparation (10 credits per hour)
• Literature search (10 credits per search).
• Participation in approved research (10 credits per hour*).
• Publication, key author (50 credits per publication).
• Publication, co-author (20 credits per publication).

Category 6: Employment in diagnostic cytology (100 credits per 6 months).

* With a limit of 50 credits per year.

2. Group CEC Activities

• Approved Cytology Training Program (50 credits per course).
• Formal lecture/workshop (20 credits per session).
• Clinico-Pathological Meeting (10 credits per session).
• Slide Case discussion (multi-header microscope) (20 credits per hour).
• Computer/Management Course (20 credits per course)

Category 8: External Learning Activities*.

• Local ASC Branch Meeting (30 credits per meeting).
• Formal Lecture/Workshop (30 credits per session).
• National/International Cytology Meeting (50 credits per meeting).
• Formal Educational/Refresher Courses related to cytology (50 credits per course).
• National/International Meetings of related disciplines (30 credits per course)
• Computer/Management Course (30 credits per course)

* Meetings other than ASC/IAC should have a major cytology component in order to be acceptable.

The following notes are presented to clarify the above categories:

INDIVIDUAL CEC ACTIVITIES
Category 5
Lecture/Workshop: this subcategory is reserved for lectures or workshops you may be presenting as part of a formalised teaching program in cytology. You may be presenting a lecture or workshop to a group of students as part of a syllabus or presenting on a one-to-one basis. To this you can add credits accumulated in preparing for the initial lecture/workshop.

Category 7 & 8. Computer/Management Course: Attendance at formal computer/management courses relevant to the practice of cytology is claimable. The expectation is that a tertiary institution or registered training school would conduct these courses and a certificate of completion awarded following successful completion of training. Departmental management meetings are not claimable under the CEC Scheme.

Questions and Answers

Question : How will you encourage people to enrol in the Scheme and what will motivate cytotechnologists to use our program to help them keep up to date?

Firstly, we have attempted to design a user friendly system; one that has good flexibility so that it will be accepted and practiced equally by all, be they working in small isolated laboratories or larger metropolitan-based cytology units. We reasoned that as continuing education for health professionals has now become an expectation of government, the professions and even the public, this expectation would in itself be a major encouragement to enrol. While some continuing education schemes charge significant enrolment fees, the Society has decided that our scheme would be free to its members. (Non-members can expect to pay an annual enrolment fee in excess of the ASC membership fee). So here is another attraction to participate. Furthermore, we plan to recognise the effort by way of an annual participation certificate.

Question: The NPAAC Requirements for Gynaecological (Cervical) Cytology clearly state that "the laboratory must maintain a record of individual staff members continuing education programs". Surely it is the responsibility of laboratory supervisors to document continuing education activities of their staff, isn't it?

Laboratory supervisors should document group activities which form part of an in-house education program in order to comply with this requirement and NATA accreditation. However it would not be their responsibility or nor would it be possible for them to document individual activities e.g. journal readings etc., nor a diary of an individuals total activities (as the CEC diary does). Cytotechnologists are professionals and therefore have a responsibility to maintain the skills necessary for undertaking diagnostic cytology.

Question : How will people who are not working cope with this scheme, especially if participation in such schemes becomes an expectation of employers?

People who are unemployed for a period, for whatever reason, are unlikely to find a barrier because they lack immediate past enrolment in such a scheme. In the event that participation in continuing education is required by management, this could easily be addressed by employers recognising that a commitment to re-enrol by the individual could be a condition of employment.

Question : What kind of audit is going to be conducted?

While being user friendly, the CEC Scheme must be credible to other outside agencies such as employing authorities and accreditation bodies such as NPAAC and NATA. Therefore, from the beginning we have put in place an audit. A random 20% of participants will be asked to send in a photocopy of their full diary records for that particular year so that the Registrar can monitor that proper compliance is being met. This is not meant to be threatening, but its operation should encourage serious participation, especially in the aspect of diary keeping. This audit process should also assist the ASC monitor the Scheme.

Question : How do I know if a particular activity meets the credit guidelines?

Generally speaking, if by doing activities you learn or relearn some aspect of cytology, it should be acceptable. If in doubt you can ask your in-house co-ordinator for advice. It is a feature of our scheme that there is no provision for formal pre-assessment of activities by the A.S.C.

Question : Do I have to obtain evidence other than just recording in my diary of my continuing education activity?

This is not a requirement, however if items such as course participation certificates are available, this would help you develop a more complete diary of your continuing education activity.

Question: Do I need to show my diary to my supervisor, employer or in-house co-ordinator?

No, the diary is your record and only the A.S.C. has the right to see the content.

Question: I am only employed part-time. How will this affect my ability to take part in the Scheme?

Firstly, we have agreed to allocate identical credit points for part-time or full-time employment (200 points). The flexibility of being able to chose any 4 out of 8 types of activity provides an opportunity to meet all varied work situations.

Question: How will I know if I am doing the right kind of continuing education? What kind of feed-back will the Scheme provide me with?

This will take two forms: Firstly, the Registrar will gather the yellow data sheet from all enrollees and, at least once a year, you will be given a profile of your activity as compared to the peer group. Secondly, you will be issued with a certificate of participation for that year.

Question: When can I enrol?

Enrolment can take place at any time of the year by completing the proper enrolment form and forwarding it to the Registrar. It is planned to regularly publish the enrolment form in Cytoletter. You will then be sent your diary and given an enrolment number. The diary is designed to keep records for several years of continuing educational activity.

Question: Why is it necessary to submit a half yearly data sheet to the CEC Registry; can this data be submitted once a year for analysis?

The Working Party considered that submission of data twice yearly would provide greater impetus for registrants to participate in educational activities throughout the year. In a busy work environment it is sometimes easy to forget your responsibilities regarding on-going education and there may be a tendency to delay this commitment. It is not a requirement that you gain half the number of annual credit points at this half yearly assessment but analysing the number of credits you have obtained will provide you with an indication of your requirements for the latter half of the year.

Question: Some Medical Scientists working in cytology already participate in the APACE Scheme offered by the Australian Institute of Medical Scientists. Will participation in this scheme be recognised by the ASC?

The CEC Scheme is voluntary and as a Medical Scientist you could take the view that your continuing education activity is adequately covered by your involvement in the APACE Scheme. Accrediting bodies such as NATA and NPAAC could see this compliance as meeting their requirements. However, the ASC can only recognise activities recorded in the CEC Diary.

Question: I will be away on maternity leave during the latter half of the year. What happens in these situations?

If you feel that you will be unable to maintain your continuing education during your absence from work your participation in the scheme will temporarily lapse. It is important that you write to the Registrar explaining the circumstances and a pro-rata credit adjustment will be made. Pro-rata credit adjustments will not be made for other forms of leave such as annual leave or long service leave.

Question: I work part-time and am unable to attend the weekly seminar which is held in the laboratory. I believe it is unfair that I am discriminated against in this way.

You will have to choose learning activities from other categories to gain the minimum annual credit requirement. You need to remember that you are gaining the same number of credits for employment as your full-time colleagues and this has been deliberate to help compensate individuals such as yourself with regard credit accumulation.

Question: I am undertaking some developmental work in the laboratory with the view of improving a cytopreparatory technique. Can I claim this activity under participation in approved research?

You could claim under this category if the project has a clearly defined protocol and has been officially approved by the Head of Cytology. In these situations you would most likely be a member of a research team. Publication of the results of the study would be a desirable aim and you would be expected to be an author or at least receive acknowledgment for your contribution. If these requirements do not meet your circumstances you cannot claim credits under this category. However, any reading or literature searches etc could be documented and count towards your total credit accumulation.

Question: It usually only takes 5-10 minutes to read a case presentation. After this I need to complete a full individual CEC activity diary entry sheet which is very time consuming. Besides, the credit allocation on this activity is negligible. What can I do in these circumstances?

You could group case presentations on one page in your diary. Number the main reference sources and use corresponding numbers in your summary section to indicate what you learnt from reading each short article.

Question: Is it necessary to complete diary entries every time I complete an activity or can I delay documentation until a more convenient time?

Depending on personal preferences you may find it easier to schedule documentation as a separate task. Set aside a period once a week, say 15-30 minutes, to complete the paperwork. In these situations you need to ensure that you remember the time spent on each task and have details about your learning activity, such as reference sources, for accurate documentation.

Question: A staff member has the responsibility to search for interesting web sites on the internet and collate and list these sites for distribution to colleagues. Can this activity, which is performed on behalf of others in the laboratory, be claimed?

Yes. The time taken to search and collate this information is claimable under category 2 (Computer based learning activity). Those individuals who visit these sites at a later date for learning purposes can also claim under this activity.

As explained above, the time to search and collate this information is claimable. This educational activity should be claimed under category 5 (Literature search).

Yes. However, the teacher can only claim once for preparation of this material and this is claimed under category 5 (Teaching, oral and poster preparation). The teacher can claim for the time spent imparting his/her knowledge during each microscope session. The interaction that occurs during sessions such as these could be considered a learning experience for the person presenting the cases.

Yes. This activity can be claimed under category 5 (Teaching, oral and poster presentation). You could also claim for attendance at the workshop under category 8 (Formal lecture/workshop) for the reasons outlined in the previous answer.

If it is the policy of the laboratory to offer these test then it is important staff have sufficient knowledge and expertise to perform these tests. Therefore, any educational activity associated with such tests would be claimable.

The time spent supervising students during a practical class would be considered a learning experience. This time can be claimed under Group CEC Activities (category 7 or 8 depending whether the class is internal or external).

No. There is no learning interaction between a student or supervisor during an examination. You can only claim for the educational activities you have been involved in while preparing the student for the examination.

It is unlikely that this will be recognised as part of the scheme at this stage. However, the leaning activities you are involved in while preparing to sit these examinations is claimable.

The CEC cycle runs from January to December. Depending on when you join the scheme a pro-rata adjustment is made to your employment credits. A similar adjustment is made to the minimum annual requirement of points which is currently 600 credits for a full year. Consequently it is important that you only record learning activities from the date of registration.

If you feel you have not learned anything from a particular activity then you should state this. If you learnt a lot from an activity, then just list the most important points. It was never intended that you write extensive notes in the diary, otherwise more space would have been allocated per page. Just record enough "memory prompts" to facilitate recall at a later date. It you are reading extensively on a particular topic and the same learning points are being reinforced then just refer to the main diary page eg "see diary page entry for reference Acta Cytologica, 1995; 40: 23-25".

As mentioned above, list the pertinent points learned. An audit will be carried out on diaries so it is important that the auditor can see what you have learnt from participating in a particular activity. Entries should not be a duplication of extensive notes documented elsewhere. You may want to consider setting up an additional folder, notebook or file where you store these comprehensive notes. After you list the pertinent points in the diary you may decide to refer to these lengthy notes as part of your diary entry.

The CEC Scheme has recently been revised and notes have been included to assist participants to select the correct category for recording their educational activities. Hopefully this will minimise some of the confusion that has been apparent in the first year of operation of the Scheme. We also need to remember that individuals who intentionally abuse the system are disadvantaging themselves. The scheme has not been designed to foster intense competition between individuals but to assist you in meeting your continuing educational responsibilities.

The Registrar of the CEC Program invites comment regarding the continuing education program. Suggestions can be e-mailed to the Registrar, CEC Program via the ASC office or forwarded by post to:

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Created 7 December 1997
Last updated 5 April 1999 by Mark Stevens
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