Changes in participant performance in the "test-taking" environment: observations from the 2006 College of American Pathologists Gynecologic Cytology Proficiency Testing Program.
BACKGROUND
Because the consequences of making an interpretive error on a proficiency test are more severe than those made on an educational challenge, the same slide may exhibit different performance characteristics in the 2 different settings.


OBJECTIVE
The results of the 2006 College of American Pathologists Gynecologic Cytology Proficiency Testing Program (PAP PT) provide the opportunity to compare the performance characteristics of the field-validated slides in the PAP PT environment with those of the same graded slides in the College of American Pathologists Educational Program (formerly known as the PAP Program).


METHODS
All participant responses for negative (category B) and positive (categories C and D) validated slides in the 2006 PAP PT were used to determine the error rates of participants. These data were compared with the historical error rates observed on the same validated slides in the graded PAP Program.


RESULTS
The performance characteristics of the slides in the PAP PT environment were statistically different from those in the Educational PAP Program. In proficiency testing both cytotechnologists (P < .001) and pathologists (P = .002) were more likely to interpret validated category B slides as category C or D and less likely to interpret category C slides as category B (P < .001). These differences were more pronounced among cytotechnologists than among pathologists.


CONCLUSIONS
In the test-taking environment, both cytotechnologists and pathologists appear to use a defensive strategy that results in "upgrading" of category B slides. This trend is more pronounced among cytotechnologists.
Hughes
Jonathan H
JH
Laboratory Medicine Consultants Ltd., 3059 S Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89109, USA. hughes@lmclabs.com
Bentz
Joel S
JS
Fatheree
Lisa
L
Souers
Rhona J
RJ
Wilbur
David C
DC
D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000193:education*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012955:Societies, Medical; D014481:United States