From the Croatian Society for Clinical Cytology
Dear Philippe, Fernando and Martin, dear friends and colleagues!
I agree with Prof. Claudio Clemente that the harmonization of Medicine practice all over Europe has the mandatory obligation to guarantee patients and referring doctors of the quality of the Cytology Diagnoses.
Which model to choose?
- simultaneously training in cytology and pathology during 5 years (too short for pathology, and too short for cytology)
- subspecialisation in cytology/cytopathology (1 year too short, 2 years optimal for cytopathology) after 5 years of training in pathology (all together too long and too expensive).
In UEMS board internal medicine, as general specialisation lasting 4 years with subspecialisations (in hematology, cardiology, pulmology, gastroenterology , nefrology etc.) has been replaced with common trunk (in internal medicine) lasting 3 years and with advanced program lasting 2 years, resulting with new specialisations (hematology, cardiology, pulmology, gastroenterology , nefrology etc.) This saves time and money and new experts are suitable to work in the new age.
The new pathology and cytology residency program can be consisted of basic (common trunk) program and advanced program, with the duration of 60 months. The aim of the common trunk (three-year) education is to acquire both knowledge and skills in the field of general pathology. Depending on the advanced program education (two-year) in pathology or cytology chosen, candidates become specialists in pathology or clinical cytology/cytopathology (enough education for future pathologists, enough education for future cytopathologists).
I am sending Croatian training model in clinical cytology which suits the proposed guidelines.
Best regards,
Assist. Prof. Ika Kardum-Skelin, MD, PhD
President of Croatian Society for Clinical Cytology