Cleveland Clinic was founded in 1921 upon a mission of patient care, research, and education. From the patient’s bedside to the medical laboratory, Cleveland Clinic practitioners constantly strive to improve care, seek better ways to diagnose and treat disease, and share knowledge and best practices with upcoming generations of medical personnel. Cleveland Clinic School of Cytology is welcoming students who embrace these ideals to engage in our one-year, hands-on education program.

Cytology is an allied health laboratory specialty designed to aid in the diagnosis of cancer and its precursors using individual cell morphology.

A cytologist (CT) is a laboratory specialist who is responsible for preparing and examining human cell samples under the microscope for early signs of cancer and other diseases. The cytologist meticulously reviews and analyzes subtle cell changes, both nuclear and cytoplasmic, and compares these changes to known normal cell findings from given body sites. By adding these microscopic observations to the clinical history provided, the cytologist can judge the significance of the cell changes. Cytologists, working with cytopathologists, aid clinicians in determining a patient’s diagnosis. Many times a cytology sample may help facilitate early detection of cancer or assess the extent of spread of a known malignancy.

The cytologist must be familiar with normal anatomy and histology for all the body systems that may be the sources of cytologic material and must learn the appearance of certain disease processes that affect these body sites. The cell changes that indicate these processes must be studied and the cells recognized in a background of normal material.

Cytologists aid in the management of patients with known malignancies by assisting with fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies, minimally invasive procedures that can, in addition to initial diagnosis, help track the spread of disease. When used in conjunction with radiologic and ultrasound techniques, FNA can target small, difficult to reach areas of the body.

As healthcare professionals, cytologists are responsible for providing accurate, timely, and secure diagnoses for each patient. Through certification, and with continuing education, the competent cytologist is a well-respected and vital member of the pathology laboratory.

Many types of laboratories employ cytologists including community and military hospitals, large teaching institutions and laboratories in the private sector. Upward mobility to supervisory and administrative levels is possible with years of service and additional education or certification. Academic institutions and universities also employ cytologists with the right credentials to teach Cytology. Additional opportunities for cytologists are available in the area of molecular diagnostics, where the need for trained morphologists blends well with the skills learned in cytology.

Additional information about cytology can be found at the following sites: