Cytology Jobs

I just graduated from a cytotechnology program and am desperately trying to get a job out in California. I have an amazing opportunity to move out there with a friend who just bought a house and needs a renter so she can make her mortgage payments. My problem is.... I can't get hiring managers/HR to take me seriously because I am applying from the east coast. How can I get my applications/resume taken seriously so that I can get a job as a cytotechnologist or a lab science position that I am qualified for in CA? If there is someone reading this who needs a cytotechnologist in CA...I'll be on a plane tomorrow! If anyone has any advice, PLEASE HELP!

California changed its laws so cytotechs can screen 200 slides a day using the imager. I wouldnt recommend going out there to work in cytology. None of the organizations (ASCP, CAP, ASCT, ASC etc) seem to care about this happening which makes me wonder why I am a member of any of them.

Catherine,
I agree totally. The labs are finally able to circumvent CLIA 88 and going to cause death as a result. The literature has very mixed opinions on automated screeners so I dont know why the laws are getting changed without any resistance from the lab community. This 200 slide limit was arbitrarily created by CYTYC corporation so that labcorp and quest could save on labor costs since the average cost per test for a thinprep is more than a surepath. I'm sure it will be coming to all states before too long thanks to CYTYC and big corporate labs.

Since labcorp and quest are taking all the cytology business, jobs are going to be very scarce in the future. Something has to be done about the profit driven labs like quest and labcorp. They put profit before the patient. I hope it doesnt take a lot of women dying of cancer to get change.

The organizations, we all belong too and are paying dues to, are doing very little to address this. Instead, they are whining about the school closings. The schools wouldnt close if the career would improve. No one wants to screen that many slides a day with very little opportunity to do anything else. At quest and labcorp, you are just a pap screener. For cytology to survive, it has to be in a setting with a variety of job responsibilities. Having your economic livelyhood relying on one test is not smart.

I wish the mainstream press would do some stories on what is going on with cytology. Patients have no idea that doctor's offices are sending their paps out to the lowest bidder(usually labcorp or quest), with no regard for the quality of lab. They have no idea that labcorp and quest are forcing techs to read out the maximum number of slides allowed by law and using technology(automated screeners) that was only designed to increase productivity and make more money. I hate to see another 20/20 report like what was done many years ago but it seems inevitable.

I dont know of any laws that would prevent suing. There are malpractice caps in some states that limit how much you can sue for though.

If i worked for labcorp or quest, i would look into forming a union.

I was being harassed by a Mgr. at a large lab in Albuquerque, and found out that he had told one of the assistants to NOT put the pt.'s names on over 300 slides--so there was no way to verify the right pt. with the right slide. There are mistakes made by the assistants, even with the pt.'s name. The same mgr. allowed verbal abuse to the cytotechs from one asst. who was well known to lie about everyone else in the dept. and was promoted due to reporting back to him made up crap on everyone. As a Cytotechnologist,
I had to finally quit when the same mgr. blamed me for an asst. who called him at midnight to complain because I had asked her to correct a mistake(which was her job).

Catherine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania said: Sam - my cousin was telling me about this. That's why so many are being laid off. I know someone who left the field after 30+ years because of this as well. There is no more Quality Assurance and he saw (because he checked slides that were already screened) cancer cells that had been missed. Patients' lives are at stake. Personally, when I get my annual exam, I request a slide and send it to my cousins who both screen it.

Sam Kaiserblade in Columbus, Indiana said: I wish the mainstream press would do some stories on what is going on with cytology. Patients have no idea that doctor's offices are sending their paps out to the lowest bidder(usually labcorp or quest), with no regard for the quality of lab. They have no idea that labcorp and quest are forcing techs to read out the maximum number of slides allowed by law and using technology(automated screeners) that was only designed to increase productivity and make more money. I hate to see another 20/20 report like what was done many years ago but it seems inevitable.

I dont know of any laws that would prevent suing. There are malpractice caps in some states that limit how much you can sue for though.

If i worked for labcorp or quest, i would look into forming a union.

Sam,
You make very good points. There is a dramatic drop of cytotech jobs, and the only ones which remain are with the large labs which have bought out others. I have heard only
bad stories with working for these labs, which I did once myself. The prior place I worked was trying to get the cytotechs to increase the total slides to 90-100 in an 8 hour
day, which clearly exceeds the 10-12 per hour maximum. I was
not aware of the 200 slides with the imager. Clearly, the
patient is the one that suffers with the high volume of slides and the Cytotech is the one who is compromised in every way. This situation is making it an impossible position for any Cytotech who trys to perform a quality job.
Any poor quality cytotechs could be easily weeded out by simply increasing the Q.C. from 10% to 30 or so. Of course this would decrease the volume of slides signed out which would interfere with profit margins for the company by having to perform a higher # of Q.C. on everyone.Unfortunately for cytotechs,high volume usually means poor quality for the patient.

UNA in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania said: I just graduated from a cytotechnology program and am desperately trying to get a job out in California. I have an amazing opportunity to move out there with a friend who just bought a house and needs a renter so she can make her mortgage payments. My problem is.... I can't get hiring managers/HR to take me seriously because I am applying from the east coast. How can I get my applications/resume taken seriously so that I can get a job as a cytotechnologist or a lab science position that I am qualified for in CA? If there is someone reading this who needs a cytotechnologist in CA...I'll be on a plane tomorrow! If anyone has any advice, PLEASE HELP!

Hi, I've been a Cytotech for 10 years. Here is what I know. Over the years no organization in CA has ever been willing to even take a glimps at me unless I have a valid California Licence. It was that way 10 years ago and still is today. I've recently been looking into moving and it is still the same. If you really want to go there you eather have to get the licenced first or move there and do something else until you have one. Sorry ..... but that is the way it is. GOOD LUCK!

My advice: cut your losses and get out now. It's only going to get worse. The powers that be are doing their best to kill the field. Unless you have years of seniority and speed, you're SOL.

Signed
Recently laid off cytotech

I have two friends who work out in California, and they both had to get their CA licenses before getting hired. Try that.

Hi!

Was wonder if cytology is really that bad now. I was thinking of going back into screening after a long break and a bad experience at Quest and a few other labs. They were all really into pushing the slide count and making it extremely difficult to take a bathroom break or answer the phone let alone take an eye break or lunch. I saw so many women on hormones too with bad Paps. I needed to stop and write a book about it. Before that, I worked to get QC cytology legislation passed (CLIA'88) which I thought would help reduce the workload, but it's still too high. In Canada and Australia the workload max is 40-50 slides/day. I have friends who work in those countries and that's what they tell me.

hi suzze ,

i really liked your comments . I am told that some large laboratories are setting a slide quota of 140 slides per day with an imaging device . my friend describes it as an " ergonomic nightmare " and feels totally exhausted . I know of fellow Cytotechs who are fed up with the field and leaving it .

Can you tell me about your book ?

amphib

Amphib in Columbus, Ohio said: hi suzze ,

i really liked your comments . I am told that some large laboratories are setting a slide quota of 140 slides per day with an imaging device . my friend describes it as an " ergonomic nightmare " and feels totally exhausted . I know of fellow Cytotechs who are fed up with the field and leaving it .

Can you tell me about your book ?

amphib

Well, you can learn all about it at my website at:www.i2k.com/suzanne. When you get there, click on The Art of Cytology link and it will take you to the home page. To look at all of the cytology drawings I've done, you can click on illustrations/book orders on that web page.

It was my way of combining my art with cytology. I think a lot of what we are seeing in cytology when it comes to early abnormal cell changes (pre-HPV) stems from micronutrient deficiencies (eg: folic acid, B12, carotenoids, zinc).

suzanne

suzze in Kalamazoo, Michigan said: Well, you can learn all about it at my website at:www.i2k.com/suzanne. When you get there, click on The Art of Cytology link and it will take you to the home page. To look at all of the cytology drawings I've done, you can click on illustrations/book orders on that web page.

It was my way of combining my art with cytology. I think a lot of what we are seeing in cytology when it comes to early abnormal cell changes (pre-HPV) stems from micronutrient deficiencies (eg: folic acid, B12, carotenoids, zinc).

suzanne

Hi Suzanne,

I am a recruiter in the laboratory/diagnostic industry. Our firm places all levels of professionals in this arena. I have several opportunities for Cytotechnologists. The normal daily volume per tech would be 110 slides. Salary and benefits are excellent. Would you know of anyone that might have an interest? My email address is cathy@witherspooninc.net

Hope you have a great day!

Best regards,

Cathy Witherspoon
President
Witherspoon, Inc.

How could anyone do 110 slides on a daily basis accurately? Are they all thin preps? Must be. I have found so many missed cases in the past due to high speed. It's like going 90 miles an hour down a bumpy road trying not to get in an accident.

suzanne
The Art of Cytology

From my understanding it is a mixture of cyto reading and cytec.

what is cyto reading. Do you mean conventional Pap smears as well as cytec slides? That is a maximum workload each day which can't be maintained with any consistent accuracy. Why is money placed above the technologist's well being as well as patient care?

suzze in Kalamazoo, Michigan said: what is cyto reading. Do you mean conventional Pap smears as well as cytec slides? That is a maximum workload each day which can't be maintained with any consistent accuracy. Why is money placed above the technologist's well being as well as patient care?

money has always been a guiding factor in pap smears and around 1994 a woman named Karen Smith died from cervical cancer that was missed on pap smears by a lady screening 350 paps a day . reforms were initiated and limits set because of that case and others . I suspect the mega labs are using instrumentation to circumvent the regulations .

Money is not the only factor . competition is to . with burger joints we have McDonalds , Wendy's and burger King . With paps it is Quest , Labcorp and Kaiser . all in cut-throat competition . the losers are the patient and the cytotechs . It also makes for hellish work conditions for secretaries , prep staff , local managers and even janitors .

I'm glad to hear cytotechs speak up about this. I was one of the original whistle blowers. There were no laws in place regarding cytology to speak of so I wrote letters starting with my first job in 1978 to tell of the hellish conditions I worked under from poor microscopes, shoddy prep work with mixed up cases to missed cancer and slides broken in half and thrown away to save space in the file cabinets. I married a doctor and we moved alot so I would get different jobs each time and would see all new diplorable things. I would go home and tell my husband and he would just shake his head and say, that is why we get sued--lab errors, even though we had nothing to do with it. He would tell be it was my moral obligation to write letter to appropriate authorities backing it up with documentation to get federal laws across the board to get cytology quality centered and reign in the fast screeners who missed so much. One time when I was a lab aide, my supervisor told me I should be a cytotech because his made so much money as he knew I wanted to go to a naturopathic medical school that at the time had no student loan programs, etc. because it was alternative. So I became one and then a few years later saw him at a party with my husband. He told me that the cytotech that he told me about who made so much money working at his lab, missed every single case of cervical cancer that he found on biopsy that year. She was screeing 180 slides each evening.

After the govt. was alerted to the problems they form a group at the Health Care Financing Administration for cytology. They had no idea what we did before that. They thought the doctors did all the cytology diagnosing, identifying, whatever you want to call it. When they found out we did it, they were alarmed.

Then they set up the whistle blowing law to combat medicaid fraud. I would be a billionairre right now had this law been in place when I was reporting missed or unsats going out as negatives, etc.

cathy Witherspoon in Greer, South Carolina said: Hi Suzanne,

I am a recruiter in the laboratory/diagnostic industry. Our firm places all levels of professionals in this arena. I have several opportunities for Cytotechnologists. The normal daily volume per tech would be 110 slides. Salary and benefits are excellent. Would you know of anyone that might have an interest? My email address is cathy@witherspooninc.net

Hope you have a great day!

Best regards,

Cathy Witherspoon
President
Witherspoon, Inc.

I wanted to tell you that I bet you are a sweet person, just doing your job recruiting, having no idea what it is that we are talking about when it comes to tremendous workload requirements. It seems the bigger a lab gets, the more they can find loop holes to make cytotechs work harder and screen more slides. It's like playing the piano all day full speed without a break. The only thing that breaks in the end is the cytotech's hands, neck and back.
It's like the horses that are ridden all day without a break and then drop dead one day. Soon there will be none of us left. That is why I wrote the prayer poem, "Who Are Cytologists?"
It goes like this:

Who Are Cytologists?

A few chosen ones--some call them angels--cytosaints.
Their wings and halos can only be seen
By those who have stepped into their silent slippers,
Borrowed their eagle eyes and highly evolved brains,
Put on their spirit armor of humility and patience,
And sat stationary, like fishermen within an endless sea,
Moving only eyes and hands,
Wading through millions of cells like stars in the heavens,
Catching the ones that are falling or losing their light.
These cytosaints can fall too, or lose their spirit with time,
For they are still yet mortals on this earth.
So God, be there to catch them if they do.
I took out a line in the poem awhile ago that said "due to abuses of power" which now I realize I should have kept in.

suzanne

Suzanne,

I did not realize the pain you are in and hope you find the strength in God to get through this trying time.

Best,

Cathy

No, I'm not in pain at all. Just not screening in cytology. I wrote the poem years ago when a pathologist wrote on the ASC email list server about how he could not imagine how anyone could look at so many cells all day long. We had been discussing case load requirements. He was in Australia where his techs only screened 40-50 slides per day. My poem was written off the top of my head to him in my reply to his question.

if you are still interested there is a lab in Northern CA that is looking for a cytotechnologist. Their web address is www.apmglab.com -- don't know if that helps?

Cytotechnologist in San Jose, California said: if you are still interested there is a lab in Northern CA that is looking for a cytotechnologist. Their web address is www.apmglab.com -- don't know if that helps?

Not looking to work in the cytology lab anymore-not after reading about the overall conditions. Nothing's changed, even after CLIA. I'm happy in other fields now.

I would definitely suggest that any one looking into the field of cytology look elsewhere. The conditions are not the greatest. There is no excuse if you cannot finish your workload (in my case 80 slides). I honestly think 50 slides per day should be the number. When you are rushed, you will make mistakes and miss many things you wouldn't have normally missed.

The company I work for is also laying off cytotechs, and forcing their remaining techs to pick up the slack. They have so much backlog that they are constantly offering overtime. I just looked at their job listings and they have the nerve to tell people applying that some weekends will be required! It's sickening. I no longer feel like a professional. I feel like a factory worker, and my worth is nil. Even though I work hard to do a careful job I know that I miss things. The patients are the ones suffering. So much for all the training and schooling I completed to get into this "career". Stay away from this field. I feel sorry for the students who are currently finishing up their training. They won't have a job once they graduate.

The big business of screening for cancer has gone too far. Either cases are missed because of speed or they are missed due to human error in judgment. No one should be forced to screen more than 60 slides a day in cytology. With all the HPV and endocervical lesions now, it's impossible to do more accurately. Ask any good cytotech. I found cervical SCC on a 14 year old the last year I worked, and found missed endocervical ca, etc. Recently, I was given three cases for evaluation online, and I called all three of them positive. I asked no questions. Didn't even need history. Later, I was told they had all been called negative, but that the biopsies showed poorly differentiated ca. There is a diagnostic problem and a speed problem in cytology. That equates to one thing--cytologists need more TIME to screen and evaluate, as well as retrieve past slides (biopsies included) so they can learn and study from their mistakes. There isn't time for meetings to discuss discrepancies in a private for-profit labs.

Cytologist do it to themselves by agreeing to the working conditions or worse yet, competing with one another to see who can screen the most slides. It should be, who can find the most abnormals. That should be the name of the game.

The "trickle down" system of capitalism and medical care has collapsed due to greed. Now, we are being asked to bail out the rich who enslaved us in the first place while their CEO's took billions, including the so called "non-profit" hospital administrators.

I just hope Obama learns about all this. I have nurse friends who are working 12 hr. days and being run ragged, trying to keep up with all the medicine mix-ups and poor understaffed care.

Have you watched the ABC news and online video called "Hospitals Should Fly"? I hope you find it and watch it.

I work in the AP department in a local, medium-to-small sized hospital. The biggest problem we have is that we are grouped in with the "clinical" laboratory. Our lab manager has no experience in AP---to him, everything is a critical value or TAT. As a result, we have been left to fend for ouselves...we have no supervision or guidance -- honestly, our leadership team has no idea what is required of us and if we are compliant. I have reached the point where I am crying for help and it's falling on a deaf ears. The pathology group who "supervise" us are actually a private corporation in and of themselves who contract with the hospital. We can ask them about specimens and processing, but when it comes to policy, the response is always, "We're not your boss". It is beyond frustrating because I really love what I do. I have to try to do the best I can, everyday, and hope that I'm compliant with regulations. As a side note, my department consist of two full-time cytotechnologist. We have no prep-techs or secretaries. We process all of our own specimens, handle our own phone calls, our own supplies,etc. Since last August, each of us has been required to take a day without pay out of each pay period. About a year ago, we had a sudden jump in caseload. Our boss noticed that our TAT got longer....he told us that we weren't working hard enough.

M in Amherst, Ohio said: I work in the AP department in a local, medium-to-small sized hospital. The biggest problem we have is that we are grouped in with the "clinical" laboratory. Our lab manager has no experience in AP---to him, everything is a critical value or TAT. As a result, we have been left to fend for ouselves...we have no supervision or guidance -- honestly, our leadership team has no idea what is required of us and if we are compliant. I have reached the point where I am crying for help and it's falling on a deaf ears. The pathology group who "supervise" us are actually a private corporation in and of themselves who contract with the hospital. We can ask them about specimens and processing, but when it comes to policy, the response is always, "We're not your boss". It is beyond frustrating because I really love what I do. I have to try to do the best I can, everyday, and hope that I'm compliant with regulations. As a side note, my department consist of two full-time cytotechnologist. We have no prep-techs or secretaries. We process all of our own specimens, handle our own phone calls, our own supplies,etc. Since last August, each of us has been required to take a day without pay out of each pay period. About a year ago, we had a sudden jump in caseload. Our boss noticed that our TAT got longer....he told us that we weren't working hard enough.

That is the problem with many labs. AP is treated like the red-headed step child. Most lab administrators have no AP experience or knowledge. I also dont like it when the pathologists are a private corporation. It creates an US vs THEM kind of a situation and both sides fighting. I've always felt that they should be employees of the hospital. Working for a Quest or LabCorp is much worse though.

Our lab is being bought out by LabCorp and I am hoping they are not going to enforece the 130 slides per day like Quest here does any time soon. I've been a cytotech for many years and I know there is no way I can screen that many accurately along with doing all the paper works and resulting. My experience with the cytyc review scope is a nightmare, not only it misses the koilocytes and organisms, but I would have to double read many slides due to image unsuccessful or slide not found. I often asked myself why would the government approved this thing to be out to kill people? Are there any ways we can acknowledge the government to look at this seriously?

I’m also in a dilemma about this field. I’m near 10 years experience and I really hate how my lab is becoming a pap mill. We have the imager systems and while my work load has gone up, the funny thing is I haven’t seen a raise in my salary in two years.
I would say try to force the employer to sign a paper that says, “if I am forced to screen more slides than my comfort level, I am not responsible for any misses”. And if they don’t sign, strike or walkout. Overall, the medical field really isn’t worth it if you aren’t a doctor anyway. Unless you have the letters MD after your name, you get treated with no respect, make little money, little vacation, it’s just not worth it. But you do get a lot of neck, back and shoulder pain, with possibly some carpel tunnel also. And for what? After taxes, maybe $2 per slide or less. But what fields are easy to transition to from cytology? Anything?

[QUOTE who=" But what fields are easy to transition to from cytology? Anything?

The answer is not really. The easiest to transition to would be clinical lab scientist. They take many of the classes a cytotech had to in school, along with parasitology, bacteriology...etc. Plus you have to do phlebotomy when you train to be a CLS. But at least now they are in huge demand. This field is at their peak. You may run into a problem years from now when they start automating everything, thereby needing less trained people to run the machines. But it is the easiest to transition to.

I am switching gears altogether and getting out of the lab. It will take me 3 years to complete but in the end I will be in demand and no automated machine will be able to take over my new job. Good luck to all those cytotechs that took pride in their work, but are now not working because of the evil powers that be. I am not complaining, but I am definitely being realistic about the field of cytology. It's time to turn over a new leaf and leave cytology behind. I will maintain my license to do per diem work perhaps, but it will no longer be the career I depend on to pay the bills.

Here's another thing: the proficiency test has to be taken regardless of whether you are employed or not to stay licensed. I was laid off just before I could take the exam. I contacted CAP and they told me I was "welcome to fly to Illinois to take the exam to maintain my license". Exactly what I wanted to hear when I barely have money to pay my bills. I will need to find per diem work at least so that they can get me scheduled to take the test here.

Again, good luck cytotechs!

Cytotech in West Covina, California said: Our lab is being bought out by LabCorp and I am hoping they are not going to enforece the 130 slides per day like Quest here does any time soon.

May I have a hint as to where you might work...might it be in Monrovia?

thanks

Cytotech in West Covina, California said: Our lab is being bought out by LabCorp and I am hoping they are not going to enforece the 130 slides per day like Quest here does any time soon. I've been a cytotech for many years and I know there is no way I can screen that many accurately along with doing all the paper works and resulting. My experience with the cytyc review scope is a nightmare, not only it misses the koilocytes and organisms, but I would have to double read many slides due to image unsuccessful or slide not found. I often asked myself why would the government approved this thing to be out to kill people? Are there any ways we can acknowledge the government to look at this seriously?

I am a cytotech in the new york area. our slide count has increased continuously over the last year. The state has no clue as to how many slides we are to screen as a maximum per day. We do imaged , surepath and conventional. Getting the right maximum load with these three processes is impossible. So our supervisor makes up the maximum and we have to live with it.

Cytoslave in Redondo Beach, California said: I’m also in a dilemma about this field. I’m near 10 years experience and I really hate how my lab is becoming a pap mill. We have the imager systems and while my work load has gone up, the funny thing is I haven’t seen a raise in my salary in two years.
I would say try to force the employer to sign a paper that says, “if I am forced to screen more slides than my comfort level, I am not responsible for any misses”. And if they don’t sign, strike or walkout. Overall, the medical field really isn’t worth it if you aren’t a doctor anyway. Unless you have the letters MD after your name, you get treated with no respect, make little money, little vacation, it’s just not worth it. But you do get a lot of neck, back and shoulder pain, with possibly some carpel tunnel also. And for what? After taxes, maybe $2 per slide or less. But what fields are easy to transition to from cytology? Anything?

I feel your pain, same here in newyork. I fight everyday about our conditions, too many slides no substantial increases in salary.

Cytofiend in Redondo Beach, California said: May I have a hint as to where you might work...might it be in Monrovia?

thanks

Monrovia is one of two from what I've heard.

Cytotech in West Covina, California said: Monrovia is one of two from what I've heard.

What the heck is monrovia. never heard of it!

Never mind. Lol. It's just another city near the LA area. We're talking about labs in california.

I am looking to go into the Cytotechnology field. I am accepted into a one year certificate program for persons who already have a bachalors degree. I am concerned about there being any jobs available, especailly in the Mid-West. If I get a certificate I will not be qaulified to do anything else and I will be out of 10's of 1000's of dollars with no good paying job. Anyone with advice would be appreciated.

I graduated last year from a certificate program in Illinois. I truly think the key to finding a good cytotech position is to NOT limit your search to a certain geographic area. I wasted a lot of time searching for a job in Tennessee, where my husband and family are. After expanding my search, I was quickly offered a job here in Washington.

Undoubtedly, responses you will get from these forums will be to "get out now!" Please take everything with a grain of salt. A lot of people who frequent these forums do so because they, too, are searching for a better job. So, naturally, they are not happy with the field. If you truly want to be a cytotech, go for it, but keep your options open. But, if you are already worried and wish to stay in a certain area, you might be better off looking at another field.

Of course if you are willing and able to relocate to another state you can find a job. But some people are unwilling to leave their husbands/wives or family because it is important to them to be near their family.

My thing is, who wants to move from a place they've lived all their lives to somewhere they don't want to be? Cytology is changing, regardless of whether there are jobs in other states. I do not like the large labs that are taking over smaller labs. The work ethic is different and patients really aren't taken into consideration. It's going in a direction I do not like and that is why I choose to leave it.

I completely understand why some people don't want to relocate, which is why I warned against cytology if that is the case.

Amphib in Columbus, Ohio said: hi suzze ,

i really liked your comments . I am told that some large laboratories are setting a slide quota of 140 slides per day with an imaging device . my friend describes it as an " ergonomic nightmare " and feels totally exhausted . I know of fellow Cytotechs who are fed up with the field and leaving it .

Can you tell me about your book ?

amphib

Labcorp /Quest labs are building a monopoly. With the imagerlabcrop in Va requires 150 per day.I anticipate that quota will go to 200 in the near future.Labcorp is letting their senior techs go,and relying on entry level people.

Labcorp in Va/DC/MD area, requires 150 slides (image guided).They are also relrasing senior techs, and opting to recruit entry level personel.

suzze in Kalamazoo, Michigan said: Hi!

Was wonder if cytology is really that bad now. I was thinking of going back into screening after a long break and a bad experience at Quest and a few other labs. They were all really into pushing the slide count and making it extremely difficult to take a bathroom break or answer the phone let alone take an eye break or lunch. I saw so many women on hormones too with bad Paps. I needed to stop and write a book about it. Before that, I worked to get QC cytology legislation passed (CLIA'88) which I thought would help reduce the workload, but it's still too high. In Canada and Australia the workload max is 40-50 slides/day. I have friends who work in those countries and that's what they tell me.

it's worse than you think!!Quotas are increasing daily,prep techs are processing upto 1000 slides daily....slide quality suffers,stain is terrible.so if you have other options take them and run.we are going back to the Pap mill days. Unfortunatelly we are no match for the army of lawyers retained by labcorp/quest.

ranita in woodbridge, Virginia said: Labcorp /Quest labs are building a monopoly. With the imagerlabcrop in Va requires 150 per day.I anticipate that quota will go to 200 in the near future.Labcorp is letting their senior techs go,and relying on entry level people.

take a look at this website - www.labcorpsucks.com , tell me what you think .

amphib

Amphib in Columbus, Ohio said: take a look at this website - www.labcorpsucks.com , tell me what you think .

amphib

What ever happened to CLIA 88 ????? CLIA 88 was originally put into law to prevent laboratories from becoming "PAP MILLS" and limited the number of slides a tech could read in a 24 hour period to 80. This was done with public safety and quality of healthcare in mind. LabCorp and Quest have somehow sneeked by this law aided with the use of Cytyc's Imager and are now somehow getting away with requiring techs to do 150-200 slides per day! This is an outrage. I have used the imager and believe me, if you are a quality screener, it does not aid you enough to push the numbers to where they are. This is another Wall Street Journal article and numerous lawsuits just waiting to happen. It is inevitable. My question remains the same: what is the position of CAP, ASCP, ASCT and IAC on this outrageous demand? They must know that patient care WILL suffer. Our professional organizations should be upholding public safety and quality care issues. They have miserably failed.

Amen to that! It is what I wonder about too! I can't believe the people in power who want to see cytopathology respected are allowing this slavery to perpetuate under CLIA itself.

suzanne

Our organizations have really let us down. They spend more time voicing there concerns about school closings when they should be focusing on what the private labs are doing. The schools are closing cause no one in their right mind would want to work in the field under the working conditions at labcorpse, quest and others.

suzze in Kalamazoo, Michigan said: Hi!

Was wonder if cytology is really that bad now. I was thinking of going back into screening after a long break and a bad experience at Quest and a few other labs. They were all really into pushing the slide count and making it extremely difficult to take a bathroom break or answer the phone let alone take an eye break or lunch. I saw so many women on hormones too with bad Paps. I needed to stop and write a book about it. Before that, I worked to get QC cytology legislation passed (CLIA'88) which I thought would help reduce the workload, but it's still too high. In Canada and Australia the workload max is 40-50 slides/day. I have friends who work in those countries and that's what they tell me.

I work in Canada and I'll tell you that since Hologic/Cytech and Surepath are here,60-80 slides are expected/day or more. Same thing with job losses. The Alberta government is trying to get all the paps currently done in public laboratories in the smaller cities centralized to the 2 private labs in the large cities. This means those of us in the smaller cities will be out of work. The private labs are using the imager and figure they can use less techs then. They really don't care how well the work is done on the machine.

Cytofiend in Redondo Beach, California said: [QUOTE who=" But what fields are easy to transition to from cytology? Anything?

The answer is not really. The easiest to transition to would be clinical lab scientist. They take many of the classes a cytotech had to in school, along with parasitology, bacteriology...etc. Plus you have to do phlebotomy when you train to be a CLS. But at least now they are in huge demand. This field is at their peak. You may run into a problem years from now when they start automating everything, thereby needing less trained people to run the machines. But it is the easiest to transition to.

I am switching gears altogether and getting out of the lab. It will take me 3 years to complete but in the end I will be in demand and no automated machine will be able to take over my new job. Good luck to all those cytotechs that took pride in their work, but are now not working because of the evil powers that be. I am not complaining, but I am definitely being realistic about the field of cytology. It's time to turn over a new leaf and leave cytology behind. I will maintain my license to do per diem work perhaps, but it will no longer be the career I depend on to pay the bills.

Here's another thing: the proficiency test has to be taken regardless of whether you are employed or not to stay licensed. I was laid off just before I could take the exam. I contacted CAP and they told me I was "welcome to fly to Illinois to take the exam to maintain my license". Exactly what I wanted to hear when I barely have money to pay my bills. I will need to find per diem work at least so that they can get me scheduled to take the test here.

Again, good luck cytotechs!

I was interested in the Cytotech field but now I am not sure. I was also looking at Dental hygiene, dental assisting, and nursing. what are you going to do now?

I'm going into ultrasound. They make great money, at least in CA and the field is growing. There is more and more demand for imaging without the possibility of harmful side effetcs. I also considered nurse practitioner, pharmacist, pathologist assistant, etc. But I am a little older and don't want to be in school and training for too long. Ultraspound is a good alternative for me.