Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2026
Preparation and Using Phantom Lesions to Practice Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsies
Published on: September 29, 2009
Training undergraduate students for rapid on-site evaluation of fine needle aspiration cytology samples using a
Alina Miranda1, Paul W Shield2,3, Vincent Williams1
1Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Introduction:
Demand for rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) of fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology is rising and the role is increasingly being performed by non-medical cytologists. Undergraduate training for cytologists has traditionally focused on laboratory-based procedural activities and their theoretical underpinning, with minimal attention given to communication and other skills required to operate in an interprofessional setting. We evaluated the effectiveness and student reaction to a simulation-based education (SBE) exercise in ROSE designed to fill this void.
Methods:
We designed and evaluated an SBE exercise based on FNA ROSE across two tertiary institutions with 79 students. The exercise accurately reproduced the demands on cytologists operating as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a time- pressured environment.
Findings:
Pre- and post-simulation questionnaires indicated an improvement in technical knowledge related to the procedure. Students' perception of their competence and confidence in their role also improved significantly post simulation. Students uniformly found the exercise engaging and a valuable addition to their curriculum.
Discussion:
The simulation successfully provided a pseudo-clinical environment that highlighted the realities of practising technical and diagnostic tasks under time pressure and interacting with other health professionals to provide an optimal patient outcome. The exercise is a useful supplement to on-the-job training for ROSE.
