Cytology and Hematology Diagnostic Services, Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
Vet Clin Pathol. 2023 Dec;52(4):722-731. doi: 10.1111/vcp.13280. Epub 2023 Jul 17.
Collecting cytology samples and making simple diagnoses are skills taught in veterinary universities, mostly in a passive way. Simulators enhance practical skills learning, increasing student engagement through immersive activities. These strategies have not been carefully assessed in veterinary cytology.
This study aimed to describe a simulator developed for training cytology sample collection methods and assess the utility of an immersive simulation strategy to learn and practice the collection of cytology samples.
A flipped classroom with a station design was followed. Students first watched video tutorials on sampling collection, listened to brief cases' clinical histories, and moved to immersive simulator stations. There, they practiced imprints, swabs, and fine-needle aspiration (FNA). Microscopic observation of the material was available through augmented reality tools. Students were evaluated by Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) tools on their ability to perform FNA on stuffed animal models. Students answered two questionnaires addressing their learning outcomes.
Second- and third-year students from two centers (n = 129) practiced cytologic collection methods in simulators which significantly changed their willingness to perform FNA in live animals after the class activities. OSCE pass rates over 90% were obtained for most steps of FNA, and students rated the activity as essential/very relevant for learning.
Immersive simulation strategies were effective at increasing student comfort with cytologic sampling techniques. This approach should be included in the veterinary curriculum as it can increase the quality of cytology samples and could potentially improve the cytologic diagnosis of a submitted sample.
收集细胞学样本并进行简单诊断是兽医大学教授的技能，主要以被动方式进行。模拟器通过沉浸式活动增强实践技能学习，提高学生的参与度。这些策略在兽医细胞学中尚未得到仔细评估。
本研究旨在描述一种为培训细胞学样本采集方法而开发的模拟器，并评估沉浸式模拟策略在学习和实践细胞学样本采集方面的效用。
采用翻转课堂设计，学生首先观看采样采集的视频教程，听取简要病例的临床病史，然后前往沉浸式模拟器站。在那里，他们练习印痕、拭子和细针抽吸（FNA）。通过增强现实工具可以观察材料的显微镜观察。学生通过客观结构化临床考试（OSCE）工具评估他们对填充动物模型进行 FNA 的能力。学生回答了两份关于学习成果的问卷。
来自两个中心的二年级和三年级学生（n=129）在模拟器中练习细胞学采集方法，这极大地改变了他们在课堂活动后对活体动物进行 FNA 的意愿。大多数 FNA 步骤的 OSCE 通过率超过 90%，学生认为该活动对学习至关重要/非常相关。
沉浸式模拟策略有效地提高了学生对细胞学采样技术的舒适度。这种方法应该包含在兽医课程中，因为它可以提高细胞学样本的质量，并有可能改善提交样本的细胞学诊断。
