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Date: 12/10/2025

Cytotechnologists

Stain, mount, and study cells to detect evidence of cancer, hormonal abnormalities, and other pathological conditions following established standards and practices.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Maintain effective laboratory operations by adhering to standards of specimen collection, preparation, or laboratory safety.
    • Adjust, maintain, or repair laboratory equipment, such as microscopes.
    • Examine specimens to detect abnormal hormone conditions.
    • Adjust, maintain, or repair laboratory equipment, such as microscopes.
    • Examine cell samples to detect abnormalities in the color, shape, or size of cellular components and patterns.
    • Document specimens by verifying patients' and specimens' information.
    • Prepare and analyze samples, such as Papanicolaou (PAP) smear body fluids and fine needle aspirations (FNAs), to detect abnormal conditions.
    • Submit slides with abnormal cell structures to pathologists for further examination.
    • Prepare cell samples by applying special staining techniques, such as chromosomal staining, to differentiate cells or cell components.
    • Examine specimens, using microscopes, to evaluate specimen quality.
    • Adjust, maintain, or repair laboratory equipment, such as microscopes.
    • 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.
    • Attend continuing education programs that address laboratory issues.
    • Assign tasks or coordinate task assignments to ensure adequate performance of laboratory activities.
    • Prepare and analyze samples, such as Papanicolaou (PAP) smear body fluids and fine needle aspirations (FNAs), to detect abnormal conditions.
    • Maintain effective laboratory operations by adhering to standards of specimen collection, preparation, or laboratory safety.

    Skills

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    5
    Workplace Documents
    5
    Graphic Literacy
    5

    Abilities

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    Knowledge

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    Career Video

    Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 62890/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 30.23/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 13,090
    • Yearly Projected Openings 850

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Investigative: People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Independence
    • Analytical Thinking
    • Cooperation

    Tools

    • Analytical balances
    • Automated cover slipping equipment
    • Benchtop centrifuges
    • Binocular light compound microscopes
    • Centrifuge tubes
    • Desktop computers
    • Digital cameras
    • Dispensing pins or needles
    • Distillation pipings or columns or fittings
    • Dropping pipettes
    • Fluorescent microscopes
    • General purpose refrigerators or refrigerator freezers
    • Histological staining apparatus
    • Histology paraffin
    • Laboratory beakers
    • Laboratory flasks
    • Laboratory funnels
    • Laboratory graduated cylinders
    • Laboratory heaters
    • Magnetic stirrers
    • Magnifiers
    • Microbiology analyzers
    • Microscope slide cabinets
    • Personal computers
    • Scanning light or spinning disk or laser scanning microscopes
    • Steam autoclaves or sterilizers
    • Stereo or dissecting light microscopes
    • Tissue processors
    • Water baths

    Technology

    • Expert system software
    • Medical software
    • Office suite software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software

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    Workforce Supply Tool

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