Coordinator:

• Jessica Brzyski, Ph.D.

What is a Cytotechnologist?

Seton Hill’s Cytotechnology 3 + 1 Program prepares students for a rewarding career in medical diagnostics. Board-certified cytotechnologists are laboratory professionals who work closely with pathologists in a hospital setting. Pathologists are physicians who diagnose diseases such as cancer by evaluating patient specimens that have been carefully prepared by the cytotechnologists. As an important component of the medical profession, cytotechnologists are relied upon for their dependability, precision, and attention to detail, since their initial processing of medical specimens will guide the treatment decisions made by doctors. According to the American Society for Cytotechnology, the demand for individuals with this specialized training will continue to increase into the foreseeable future.

Who Should Choose This Profession?

Students who are:

• Used to paying close attention to detail, especially when working under pressure.
• Capable of working with various types of microscopes for long periods.
• Able to manipulate materials while paying strict attention to proper procedures.
• Comfortable with assuming responsibility.
• Able to work well with others as part of a larger medical team.
• Competent to work with complex computer-assisted clinical technologies.
• Ready to become a medical professional who makes important contributions to patient care in a hospital setting.

What is the Course of Study?

Students spend their first three academic years at Seton Hill, mastering the background scientific disciplines that prepare them for more advanced work. They also successfully complete the University’s Liberal Arts Curriculum. Their final year involves intensive training at the Anisa I. Kanbour School of Cytotechnology at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. This school was founded to meet the increasing demand for trained professionals who are certified to process important diagnostic specimens such as Pap smears and other medically relevant specimens. Clinical spaces are limited, standards for admission are high, and admission to Seton Hill’s Cytotechnology 3 + 1 Program does not guarantee subsequent admission to the clinical school year in Pittsburgh. After successfully completing the program requirements and training, students graduate with a B.S. degree in Cytotechnology from Seton Hill University and are ready to take the national certification examination of the American Society for Clinical Pathology’s Board of Certification (ASCP-BOC).

Learning Objectives: Cytotechnology 3 + 1

1. Use the proper language of biological science in oral and written communications.
2. Summarize and interpret one’s own data through the use of graphs, charts, and tables.
3. Access and analyze the scientific literature.
4. Identify key concepts of biological science including those from the disciplines of anatomy, genetics, cell biology, and physiology.
5. Synthesize the inter-relationships between biology and the disciplines of chemistry and mathematics on exams or in written assignments.
6. Design and implement a scientific experiment in a laboratory or field setting.
7. Apply a scientific approach to problem solving.
8. Demonstrate proficiency with the tools of biological research including those associated with the laboratory and field studies.
9. Explain the influence that biological ideas and discoveries have had on the development of culture and society.
10. Evaluate ethical considerations associated with applications of biotechnology and express one’s own position on such issues.
11. Successfully complete clinical training to prepare for the national certification examination of the American Society for Clinical Pathology’s Board of Certification

All candidates for the Bachelor of Science degree in cytotechnology must complete the Liberal Arts Curriculum requirements, the capstone assessment  requirement, and the required courses for the major.

A minimum of 120 credits is required.