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Cytotechnologist

Overview and Key Facts

Microscope
Education
Education
Bachelor's degree
Median Pay
Median Pay
$61,890
Job Growth
Job Growth
1.70%
(Below US Average)
Jobs in 2034
Jobs in 2034
357,200

What Do They Do?

A cytotechnologist could...

 
Slide
Quickly prepare slides from surgical patients to determine if all the tumor cells have been removed.
Boy in hospital
Save a child's life by detecting a serious infection in his blood samples and informing the doctors.
Microscope and biopsy on screen
Examine a patient's biopsy under a microscope to determine whether he or she has colon cancer.
test tube with sample fluid
Evaluate spinal fluid samples from college students to determine if meningitis is making them sick.
 
Slide Boy in hospital Microscope and biopsy on screen test tube with sample fluid

Overview Listen to this section

When a patient gets sick, his or her doctor will take sample cells from the affected part of his or her body and send them to a lab for testing to figure out what is wrong. This is where the cytotechnologist steps in. The cytotechnologist will take the sample cells, make slides from them, and examine the slides under a microscope. Cytotechnologists are trained to detect abnormalities in cells that come from all body sites in order to to make a diagnosis of cancer or other diseases. These professionals help pathologists and doctors diagnose diseases early, thus saving lives.
Kelly is a cytotechnologist, and in this video, she describes her first experience looking at a sample slide and how she gets "lost" in a slide.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3KnUa37B-g

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of a Cytotechnologist?


  1. Reading Comprehension: ?
  2. Active Listening: ?
  3. Critical Thinking: ?
  4. Complex Problem Solving: ?
  5. Judgment and Decision Making: ?
More skills...

Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks a Cytotechnologist might do:
  • Document specimens by verifying patients' and specimens' information.
  • Examine cell samples to detect abnormalities in the color, shape, or size of cellular components and patterns.
  • Submit slides with abnormal cell structures to pathologists for further examination.
  • Prepare and analyze samples, such as Papanicolaou (PAP) smear body fluids and fine needle aspirations (FNAs), to detect abnormal conditions.
  • Examine specimens, using microscopes, to evaluate specimen quality.
  • Maintain effective laboratory operations by adhering to standards of specimen collection, preparation, or laboratory safety.
  • Provide patient clinical data or microscopic findings to assist pathologists in the preparation of pathology reports.
  • Assist pathologists or other physicians to collect cell samples by fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy or other method.
  • Prepare cell samples by applying special staining techniques, such as chromosomal staining, to differentiate cells or cell components.
  • Adjust, maintain, or repair laboratory equipment, such as microscopes.
  • Assign tasks or coordinate task assignments to ensure adequate performance of laboratory activities.
  • Attend continuing education programs that address laboratory issues.

Salary & Job Openings

Median Salary (Yearly Pay)

Tap or scroll over map to see median salaries for each state

Future Jobs

Blast-Off:

How Will Cytotechnologist Jobs Grow by 2034?
Projected % Growth
Rapid growth
(10% or higher)
Much faster than average
(7% - 10%)
Faster than average
(5% - 7%)
About as fast as average
(3% - 5%)
Slower than average
(0% - 3%)
Decreasing
Average of all U.S. jobs (5.3%)
Cytotechnologist jobs (1.70%)
Source: https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm

Steps to Get There: Becoming a Cytotechnologist

High School Subjects to Study

Aim to study the yellow-shaded subjects.
Math
Algebra 1
Geometry
Algebra 2
Pre-Calculus
Calculus
Statistics
Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Environmental Science
Physiology
Bio-Medical / Biotech
IT &
Engineering
Computer Science
Applied Technology
Drafting & CAD Training
Core
English
Foreign Language
Business
Psychology / Sociology

Career Pathway Listen to this section

Upon successful completion of a degree program, graduates are eligible to take the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification exam. Most employers require cytotechnologists to be ASCP certified. Individuals interested in becoming supervisors, lab managers, and educators might also pursue ASCP Specialist Certification in Cytotechnology. Certain states also require cytotechnologists to be licensed to work in that state.

Education- Typical Degree Needed After High School Listen to this section

Degree
Post
high school credential
AA
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctoral or Professional Degree

Typical degree for an entry-level position: Bachelor's degree ? Types of Degrees and Credentials

The minimum degree required for an entry-level position in this field is a bachelor's degree. In order to become a cytotechnologist, interested individuals must attend an accredited program in cytotechnology. Educational programs are either university-based or hospital-based and involve 1 or 2 years of instruction. All individuals must possess a bachelor's degree upon completion of the program. Minimum academic requirements are 28 semester credits of combined biology and chemistry and three semester credits of mathematics or statistics. Requirements may vary, depending on each individual program.

For positions as lab managers or educators, employers usually require a graduate degree.

Companies That Hire Cytotechnologists

Try it Out with an Activity or Project

STEM Activities

STEM activities are fun hands-on explorations that usually take from 10 minutes to one hour and use readily available household or classroom materials while introducing you to STEM concepts common in this career.

Science Project Ideas

Project Ideas are in-depth STEM explorations that have a strong focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data suitable for investigating the scientific method or the engineering design process.

On the Job

Role Models

Read an interview of several cytotechnology students who come from varied backgrounds to do critical work, identifying cell abnormalities.
My most favored subjects were photography and biology, so cytotechnology was a perfect fit for my passions. 
Geriann Davis-Therkildsen, Cytotechnology Student

Nature of the Work

Cytotechnology is the study of the structure, formation, and function of cells. Cytotechnologists study cells that have been shed normally, scraped from the body, or aspirated with a fine needle. The cytotechnologist makes a judgment decision as to what is normal and abnormal by analyzing cellular patterns and subtle changes in the nucleus, cytoplasm, shape, color, and size of cells while correlating the patient's clinical history. This is a highly specialized and technical field of study.

Cytotechnologists work independently doing meticulous microscopic work. They must be comfortable making decisions and must assume a great deal of responsibility. Cytotechnologists are responsible for the preliminary interpretation of specimens from body sites, such as the lung, bladder, body cavities, central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, female reproductive tract, liver, lymph nodes, thyroid, salivary glands and breast. As part of the job, the cytotechnologist will stain the cells in order to make it easier to differentiate from surrounding tissue. Cytotechnologists work in collaboration with pathologists to diagnose benign and infectious processes, precancerous lesions, and malignant disease. Providing a definitive diagnosis in a timely, safe, and cost-effective manner helps save patients' lives by allowing clinicians to provide necessary and appropriate treatment to patients as quickly as possible.

Cytotechnologists work with various technologies to aid in diagnoses. These technologies include image analysis, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, molecular diagnostic procedures, and automated equipment.

Work Environment

Cytotechnologists usually work in hospitals, clinics, and private laboratories. Other places of employment are research laboratories, educational institutions, and government facilities. They work with a variety of lab equipment and are often seated for long periods of time while they perform their duties. The work environment is fast paced, requires efficiency and accuracy, and can be stressful.

More Information

Ask Questions

Do you have a specific question about a career as a Cytotechnologist that isn't answered on this page? Post your question on the Science Buddies Ask an Expert Forum.

Additional Resources

For additional information about cytotechnology, visit the following websites:

Sources

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