Enter your location at the top of this page to find opportunities at health organizations near you. Being involved at any level will help you figure out if this area is something you're interested in!

Find a volunteer position in health and medicine.

Test your interest in medicine by learning about what keeps the human body running. Choose one of these topics from Khan Academy to learn more and watch videos about how the systems in your body work.

Learn about the major organ systems of the body.

Empathy is an integral part of our human nature. It is a skill ingrained in us, but it can also be learned and improved upon. Explore ways to develop your empathy and be more successful in life.

Watch a TED Talk about empathy.

Karyotypes are used to make chromosomes visible so that they can be examined. Watch a short video to learn how to read one.

Learn how to read a karyotype.

Choose a few of these stories about mystery medical cases and how they were solved. Does assessing symptoms and doing research to figure out diagnoses seem like something you'd like to do?

Explore hard-to-solve medical cases.

What do you wear in a lab? What kinds of accidents can happen there and how do you prevent them? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this lab safety article.

Learn the ins and outs of the laboratory.

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a common needle biopsy procedure. Watch a short video to learn more about FNA, including why it's useful and how it's performed.

Learn more about fine needle aspiration.

Cytotechnologists

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

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists

Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations

Health Technologists and Technicians

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.

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.

Cytotechnologists

Overview

Career

What Cytotechnologists Do

Other Job Titles Cytotechnologists May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Cytotechnologists

Overview

Career

What Cytotechnologists Do

Other Job Titles Cytotechnologists May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Cytotechnologists

Majors Related to Career

Related Careers

Related Leaders