[Education concerning pathological/cytological diagnosis at 4-year colleges].

Recent students of clinical technologist training courses at 4-year colleges aiming to qualify as medical technologists or cytotechnologists have diverse future prospects, for the following reasons: (1) Abundant information can be easily obtained due to the advancement of IT, (2) 4-year college education is increasing available professions, and (3) graduate schools for laboratory medicine have been established, enabling acquisition of a degree. For departments of pathological/cytological diagnosis, cooperation with pathologists and clinicians based on a reliable relationship is important, and medical technologists, cytotechnologists, and pathologists are organically linked in performing tests. To strengthen this reliable relationship and broaden professions as medical care staff, not only students but also instructors have to consistently increase their level of consciousness and energy. In addition to the establishment of the current cytotechnologist education system, introduction of the 'qualification of senior cytotechnologist' established in other countries or 'pathologist's assistant (tentative name)' as a pathological specialist should be seriously considered. The established graduate schools in the field of laboratory medicine started to produce human resources capable of performing basic research based on the knowledge and techniques of laboratory and cytology tests, and were granted a degree. Many universities have established graduate courses combined with employment, and an increasing number of cytotechnologists have acquired specialized knowledge and perform research activities based on knowledge from their routine work.