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JSC President’s Message: “Cytology Renaissance”

October 10, 2007

Greetings to you from the JSC.

Hello, I am Dr Tadao K. Kobayashi, President of the Japanese Society of Cytotechnologists, or “JSC”. As the President of the JSC, I want welcome you to the JSC’s website and hope you will enjoy it. Our website will enable you to find out more about who we are, and access much of the highly-valued new information and educational material we offer. The JSC was founded in 1968 by a group of cytotechnologists who believed that an organization was needed which focused on laboratory practice in order to improve cytology performance. In June 1968, the first JSC meeting was held in Tokyo in conjunction with the 9th annual meeting of the Japanese Society of Clinical Cytology (JSCC). There were 178 Charter Members; currently the membership is 6168 (4339 of them passed CT(IAC) registry examination) which is largest cytotechnology organization in the world. As you may already know, political as well as health-care reform is currently in progress in Japan. Thus this reflects the severe business environment for our society especially given that the need to achieve budget cuts in screening for cervical cancer. The age in which is extremely difficult to determine whether baby boomer can continue their career after retirement. Since the job market changes rapidly in small professions such as the field of cytotechnology. I am worried about there will be a critical shortage of cytotechnologists in Japan at some future date. In the immediate future, our cytology kingdom is faced with an urgent need to address the issue of human development (fostering of cytology experts). Therefore, there is an urgency in making a future plan i.e., “Cytology Renaissance” for the JSC.

In future messages from me, I will begin to address the seven major challenges for our society:
(1) Make efforts to increase the participation rates in cervical cancer screening particularly targeting women who are underscreened through our society’s activity
(2) Urge our consideration of a newly-revised edition of the Society bylaws
(3) Creation of an appropriate accuracy quality assurance system for cytology
(4) To develop a headhunting firm for cytotechnologists
(5) Invitation to enroll at a school of cytotechnology (university) for high-school students
(6) Expanding internet usage for increased website activity
(7) Work to implement the cytotechnology globalization especially through expanded international relief and aid efforts

I will offer outline the basic directions to each of these challenges that will allow a more secure future for cytotechnology. It is my belief also that one of the major issues to be addressed is that of our identity. Are you a cytotechnologist? What does that mean to you? Which medical society represents your interests most closely? Who ensure your interests are looked after? I believe that we, the JSC, has to be answer.

Over the last ten years, the JSC established a strong presence in the field of cytotechnology, cytology research and training, and advocacy. These basic principles are still the pillars that JSC stands upon; to foster and advocate the practice and science of clinical cytology for the benefit of patients and both JSCC and JSC societies; defining and promoting training and career-long education of its members; and advancing the professional development and cytology careers of its members. Partnerships have become an important cornerstone of the JSCC’s organizational philosophy. Reaching beyond partnerships with its sister societies, the JSC has begun to strengthen its relationship with the Japanese Association of Medical Technologists (JAMT). Although the JAMT represent different constituencies, they have member practitioners who incorporate clinical laboratory cytology in their knowledge and skill sets. Therefore, it is important to have leaders and staff from the JAMT teamed with the JSC volunteers and staff leaders to develop areas of educational exchange including to explore the possibilities of future integration. The JSC believes it is also important to develop closer cooperative ties with healthcare providers such as the oncology nursing society as well as cancer patients’ associations. These future collaborations reflect the breadth and depth of the JSC’s partnership. The JSC leadership, myself included, are firm believers in the powers of these partnerships.

Both the JSCC and JSC have long recognized the need to develop quality standards and educational programs to help ensure that cytologic examinations are diagnosed correctly by cytopathologists and cytotechnologists. To this end, the JSC has a number of activities which you may explore on our website. For example, we also expand our challenge to virtual cytology testing. This program has been skillfully assembled by a creative team of our society under the able leadership of Mr Kiyotada Washiya (Chair: Committee of Home Page ). Our program called the “Internet Cytology” is composed of lectures, internet research reports, virtual slide conference and cytology self-assessment modules.

We realize that the strengths of our society, coupled with those of its collaborating societies in clinical laboratory technology, educational and advocacy arenas, are much greater than if the Society were to operate independently. We have lots of plans for the future which I think you will both enjoy and benefit from professionally. Please look through this website to learn more about us. And contact our office with Dr Kyoko Komatsu (Chair: Committee of International Affairs: <kkoma@med.nihon-u.ac.jp>) if you have any questions about the Society. From now on, it is my sincere desire to create a more enriched English version of the website. Your support is critical and deeply appreciated.

Tadao K. Kobayashi, Ph.D., CFIAC President, Japanese Society of Cytotechnologists Board of Director, Japanese Society of Clinical Cytology <tkkobaya@msn.com>