VIN DIAG214-0320: Cytology 101

The lectures for this course will be presented in an audio format using a webinar platform.

Enrollment is closed.
Presenters: Rebekah G. Gunn-Christie, DVM, DACVP
Jennifer L. Brazzell, DVM, MVetSc, DACVP (Clinical and Anatomic), MRCVS

Course Open: March 25-May 23, 2020
Real Time Sessions (RTS): Wednesdays, April 1, 8, 15, 29, May 6 and 13, 2020; 9:00-11:00 pm ET (USA)
Course RTS Times in Your Area: World Clock Converter

Level and Prerequisites: This basic course will be open to veterinarians and veterinary technicians/technologists interested in cytology topics.
VIN CE Course: Open to veterinarians and veterinary technicians/technologists. Licensed or experienced (5 years suggested) veterinary staff may also enroll provided they are associated with an enrolled veterinarian. Veterinary staff need to provide the name of their veterinarian in the comment section during the enrollment process. This course is approved by RACE for veterinarians and veterinary technicians/technologists . (RACE 22-39615)

Course Information:
This course will cover sample collection/handling, care and usage of the microscope (including Kohler Illumination), approach to a cytology slide, a detailed discussion of lesion classification base on 5 general categories and their respective subcategories (inflammation, cysts, hemorrhage, neoplasia, and mixed), common cutaneous/SQ lesions, lymph node cytology, fluid cytology, stained urine sediment cytology, and fecal cytology.

Week 1 (Real Time Session April 1, 2020): Sample Collection/Handling; Care and Usage of Microscope
Presenters: Dr. Rebekah G. Gunn-Christie and Dr. Jennifer L. Brazzell
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
  • Know appropriate specimen collection and handling techniques for various commonly-encountered lesions.
  • Judge adequacy of cytology samples based on presence of intact cells and absence of excessive artifacts.
  • Know how to properly use and care for a microscope, and have comfortability with algorithm for evaluating cytology slides.

Week 2 (Real Time Session April 8, 2020): Approach to the Cytology Slide; Lesion Classification
Presenters: Dr. Rebekah G. Gunn-Christie and Dr. Jennifer L. Brazzell
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
  • Evaluation of specimen adequacy including identification of intact cells, identification of artifacts.
  • Have comfortability with algorithm for evaluating cytology slides.
  • Know and be able to identify the five categories of lesion classification and their subsets.

Week 3 (Real Time Session April 15, 2020): Cytology of Common Cutaneous/Subcutaneous Lesions
Presenters: Dr. Rebekah G. Gunn-Christie and Dr. Jennifer L. Brazzell
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
  • Know appropriate specimen collection and handling techniques for various commonly encountered lesions.
  • Know and be able to identify the five categories of lesion classification and their subsets.

**** BREAK - April 22, 2020 ****

Week 4 (Real Time Session April 29, 2020): Lymph Node Cytology
Presenters: Dr. Rebekah G. Gunn-Christie and Dr. Jennifer L. Brazzell
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
  • Recognize a good quality lymph node aspirate from an inadequate sample.
  • Recognize general cytologic characteristics of reactive lymphoid hyperplasia, lymphoma (various types), metastatic disease in a lymph node, infectious agents, and necrosis.

Week 5 (Real Time Session May 6, 2020): Fluid Cytology
Presenters: Dr. Rebekah G. Gunn-Christie and Dr. Jennifer L. Brazzell
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
  • Know appropriate specimen collection and handling techniques for effusions.
  • Categorize effusions based on their physical characteristics and pathophysiologic process.

Week 6 (Real Time Session May 13, 2020): Urine and Fecal Cytology
Presenters: Dr. Rebekah G. Gunn-Christie and Dr. Jennifer L. Brazzell
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
  • Prepare and evaluate stained urine sediment slides and identify commonly encountered cells, crystals, microbes, and artifacts.
  • Know the indications and limitations for evaluating a stained fecal sample.
  • Prepare and evaluate a stained fecal smear and identify commonly encountered cells, microbes, and artifacts.

Successful completion (scoring 80% or better) on the end-of-course test is required to earn a certificate of completion for the course. To learn more about the requirements for earning a CE certificate, please refer to Receiving Your CE Credit and Course Completion Certificate.

Course Materials: Course materials will be available in the course library prior to each Real Time Session.
Required Textbook(s): There is no required textbook for this course.

About the Presenters:
Rebekah G. Gunn-Christie received her DVM from North Carolina State University in 2004 and completed a Clinical Pathology residency at the University of Florida in 2007. Dr. Gunn-Christie is a diplomate of the ACVP in clinical pathology. Dr. Gunn-Christie is currently employed by Antech Diagnostics and is a VIN consultant. She spends her spare time homesteading, taking care of her chickens, bees and garden.

Jennifer L. Brazzell is a 2000 graduate of the University of Saskatchewan, Western College of Veterinary Medicine. She was formerly a practicing veterinarian and o-owner of two small animal/exotics practices in Canada. After completing a residency in Clinical Pathology at the University of Minnesota, she joined the staff of a local laboratory as a staff pathologist. After several years, she decided to expand her horizons and returned to the University of Saskatchewan Western College of Veterinary Medicine to complete a residency in Anatomic Pathology and earned a Masters in Veterinary Science degree.

Total CE Credit: 12

Tuition: Member $276 ($248 early bird special if enrolled by March 11, 2020)
Non-Member $413 ($372 early bird special if enrolled by March 11, 2020)
Prices are listed in US dollars.

*To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close on April 1, 2020 at 5 pm ET (USA) or when the maximum number of participants is reached.

*For more information on how online CE works, see the Participant Resource Center.

To Enroll:
  1. Enrollment qualifications: VIN CE courses are open to VIN member and non-member veterinarians. Veterinarians enrolling in a VSPN CE course must be a VIN member. Veterinary support staff must be a VSPN member to enroll in a VSPN CE or a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
  2. Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses. Email is our major form of communication with participants; personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
  3. Each person is individually responsible for his/her own registration. To ensure that all information received is secure and correct, please do not enroll for a course on behalf of another individual.
  4. For further assistance call 800-846-0028 ext. 797 or email . Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.
Enrollment is closed.

"This program (22-39615) is approved by the AAVSB RACE to offer a total of 12 CE Credits, with a maximum of 12 CE Credits being available to any individual veterinarian or veterinary technician/technologist. This RACE approval is for the subject matter categories of: Medical, using the delivery method of Interactive-Distance: (Web-based, Teleconference or Audio-Conference). This approval is valid in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE; however, participants are responsible for ascertaining each board's CE requirements."

Course withdrawal and refund policy: A complete refund of the paid course price will be issued when your withdrawal request is received prior to the listed start date of the course. If you wish to withdraw after the start date please contact the VIN office 800-846-0028 ext. 797 to discuss eligibility for a pro-rated refund.

*For more information on VIN's upcoming CE courses, check the VIN Course Catalog.

Katherine James, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (SAIM)
VIN Education Director

VIN CE Services:
800-846-0028 or 530-756-4881; ext. 797
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01 45 222 6154
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from Australia: 02 6145 2357