Cytogenetic Technologists work in labs, and they prepare, examine, and analyze chromosomes in a patient's DNA. This helps everyone learn about the relationship between genetics and health. A Cytogenetic Technologist also works as part of a medical team in detecting, analyzing, and interpreting genetic diseases in tissues, blood, and fluid samples. A Cytogenetic Technologist rarely sees patients, but their research is especially important.
To become a Cytogenetic Technologist, you need to gain a four-year bachelor's degree in Cytogenetics technology, biotechnology, biology, or related science. You will probably need certification from the American Society of Clinical Pathologists or ASCP. You may also need to be accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences.
Career opportunities for Cytogenetic Technologists are exceptionally good, and jobs are available in rural and metropolitan areas in diagnostic cytology as well as research education and administration. You will make a median salary of $61,000 per year.
Medical laboratory technologists (commonly known as medical laboratory scientists) and medical laboratory technicians collect samples and perform tests to analyze body fluids, tissue, and other substances.
Medical laboratory technologists typically need a bachelor’s degree. Technicians usually need an associate’s degree or a postsecondary certificate. Some states require technologists and technicians to be licensed.
EducationAn entry-level job for technologists usually requires a bachelor's degree in medical technology or life sciences.
A bachelor’s degree program in medical laboratory technology, also known as a medical laboratory scientist degree, includes courses in chemistry, biology, microbiology, math, and statistics. Coursework emphasizes laboratory skills, including safety procedures and lab management.
The courses may be offered through a university or hospital-based program that students attend during their senior year of college. College graduates who major in other sciences and meet a program’s prerequisites, such as having completed required courses in biology and chemistry or maintaining a certain GPA, also may apply to a medical laboratory science program.
Medical laboratory technicians often complete an associate’s degree program in clinical laboratory science. A limited number of 1-year certificate programs are available from hospitals, and admission requirements vary. The Armed Forces and vocational or technical schools also may offer certificate programs for medical laboratory technicians. Technician coursework addresses the theoretical and practical aspects of each of the major laboratory disciplines.
High school students who are interested in pursuing a career in the medical laboratory sciences should take classes in chemistry, biology, and math.
Licenses, Certifications, and RegistrationsSome states require laboratory personnel to be licensed. Requirements vary by state and specialty. For specific requirements, contact state departments of health, state boards of occupational licensing, or visit The American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science.
Certification of medical laboratory technologists and technicians is required for licensure in some states. Although certification is not required to enter the occupation in all cases, employers typically prefer to hire certified technologists and technicians.
Medical laboratory technologists and technicians can obtain a general certification as a medical laboratory technologist or technician, respectively, or a certification in a specialty, such as cytotechnology or medical biology. Most credentialing institutions require that technologists complete an accredited education program in order to qualify to sit for an exam. For more credentialing information, visit the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences.
Important QualitiesAbility to use technology. Medical laboratory technologists and technicians must understand how to operate complex machinery.
Detail oriented. Medical laboratory technologists and technicians must follow exact instructions in order to perform tests or procedures correctly.
Dexterity. Medical laboratory technologists and technicians need to be skilled with their hands. They work closely with needles and precise laboratory instruments and must handle these tools effectively.
Physical stamina. Medical laboratory technologists and technicians may work on their feet for long periods while collecting samples. They may need to lift or turn disabled patients to collect samples for testing.
AdvancementAfter additional education, work experience, or certification, technologists and technicians may specialize in one of many areas of laboratory science, such as immunology, histotechnology, or clinical chemistry. Some medical laboratory technicians advance to technologist positions after gaining experience and additional education.
As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a cytogenetic technologist can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as research technician, progress to a title such as research associate and then eventually end up with the title senior research associate.
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The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 12.6% of cytogenetic technologists listed ascp on their resume, but soft skills such as analytical skills and technical skills are important as well.
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Cytogenetic Technologist templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Cytogenetic Technologist resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
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The Certified Ethical Emerging Technologist (CEET) industry validated certification helps professionals draw higher salaries (25% on average) and differentiate themselves from other job candidates.\n\nOrganizations and governments are seeking out ethics professionals to minimize risk and guide their decision-making about the design of inclusive, responsible, and trusted technology. An algorithm not designed and assessed in alignment with ethical standards can create further inequity across race,...
This course is developed to improve the effectiveness of laboratory classes in higher education. It aims to support teachers to improve their teaching skills for active learning in university science laboratory courses. It will show you how laboratory sessions can differ with respect to their aim and expected learning outcomes, how to engage students for learning and how to cope with their different levels of pre-knowledge and experience and probe their understanding. Last but not least it will...
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a cytogenetic technologist. The best states for people in this position are Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York. Cytogenetic technologists make the most in Rhode Island with an average salary of $65,291. Whereas in Connecticut and Massachusetts, they would average $65,122 and $64,580, respectively. While cytogenetic technologists would only make an average of $64,385 in New York, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. New Hampshire
$63,055
Avg. Salary
2. Maine
$60,280
Avg. Salary
3. New York
$64,385
Avg. Salary
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle Cancer Care Alliance | $77,338 | $37.18 | 15 |
| 2 | NeoGenomics Laboratories | $70,224 | $33.76 | 13 |
| 3 | Boston Children's Hospital | $68,498 | $32.93 | 6 |
| 4 | Sanofi Genzyme | $67,779 | $32.59 | 79 |
| 5 | University of California, Berkeley | $66,359 | $31.90 | 8 |
| 6 | University Hospitals | $65,300 | $31.39 | 5 |
| 7 | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | $64,985 | $31.24 | 18 |
| 8 | Quest Diagnostics | $64,751 | $31.13 | 42 |
| 9 | Mayo Clinic | $63,232 | $30.40 | 6 |
| 10 | Genoptix | $59,463 | $28.59 | 5 |
