Educational Objectives:
1. Review the latest clinical guidelines for cervical cancer screening as published by various professional and governmental organizations, including the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, and United States Preventative Services Task Force
2. Examine how changing practice patterns impact the workflow in the cytopathology laboratory
3. Understand how changes in workflow impact specimen triage, turnaround time, and quality assurance/improvement measures
4. Discuss individual laboratory experience with clinician adherence to the guidelines and ways to increase collaboration with clinical colleagues in order to improve patient care

Clinical guidelines and practice recommendations for cervical cancer screening and management of abnormal tests impact the volume of gynecologic cytopathology specimens submitted to the cytopathology laboratory. In addition, changing practice guidelines place increased emphasis on ancillary testing including high-risk HPV detection and genotyping. An understanding of the latest clinical guidelines is essential for cytotechnologists and cytopathologists to handle the shifting workflow while maintaining high quality practices in the laboratory.

Educational Objectives:
1. To raise awareness of interobserver variability for morphologic criteria used to classify Thryoid FNAs into Diagnostic Categories according to the Bethesda System
2. To discuss application of criteria in an attempt to standardize interpretation for each of the diagnostic categories
3. To agree on helpful boundaries for each of the diagnostic categories (quantity and quality)
4. To discuss pros and cons of comments and recommendations used in Thyroid FNA reports

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) sponsored the NCI Thyroid Fine-needle Aspiration (FNA) State of the Science Conference in October, 2007 in Bethesda, MD. The proposed Bethesda System for Thyroid FNA interpretation and reporting is subject to Interobserver Variability. Discrepancy in Thyroid FNA second opinions varies among institutions and can result in significant changes for patient management. Review of proposed morphologic criteria for each category of the Bethesda System for Thyroid FNA and discussion of quantity and quality for each of these criteria may help raise awareness of how to optimize the use of diagnostic categories when differences in management are significant. Taking into account clinical, sonographic, nuclear medicine and molecular findings, when available, can better serve as the "triple test" when evaluating difficult cases.

Educational Objectives:
1. Understand the role of molecular cytopathology in present and future cytology practice
2. Provide audiences the challenge and opportunity for exploring molecular tests while focusing on tackling atypical cytology

There is overlapping features between benign and malignancy cytologically in many situations. Thus far “atypical cytology” has become the acceptable term in practice. Atypical cytology did not meet needs sometimes for clinical management decision making. Reducing atypical diagnosis in cytology will not only improve our professional reputation but more importantly, provide better evidence for patient care. Cytologic materials are suitable for molecular studies. Using molecular approaches to detect some intrinsic alterations in cancer cells will help us render more accurate cytologic diagnosis in addition to cytomorphology. Through this lecture we hope audiences will have a flavor of the present and future of molecular cytopathology.

Educational Objectives:
1. Appreciate the emerging role of informatics in cytology QA
2. Gain insight into how informatics can allow innovation in the QA process and how to facilitate these ideas through collaboration with our allied health care colleagues
3. Better utilize reporting systems, monitors and indicators in the laboratory
4. Expand your QA processes to gain educational feedback for your residency and fellowship programs, with demonstration of graduated competency

Automation and emerging information technologies (IT) are being increasingly adopted in cytopathology to augment Pap test screening, improve diagnostic accuracy and facilitate the quality assurance process. Laboratory informatics, the application of computers and information systems to information management in the pathology laboratory, has now become an essential component in the field of cytopathology. Providing information in a manner that is most effective for patient care is the primary mission of the cytology laboratory, and informatics is our latest, greatest tool to help us realize this goal. The application of informatics to the QA process can not only facilitate standard and federally required QA indicators, but can also allow for the monitoring of innovative measures which better reflect your laboratory practice and offer more meaningful feedback. Collaborative opportunities with our allied health care colleagues (IT specialists, residency/fellowship program directors and administrators) will be presented. This discussion will further demonstrate how informatics can be specifically used to make your QA process work faster, easier, and smarter, while allowing for creative and clinically useful monitoring beyond CLIA for your cytotechnologists, residents, fellows, and patients.