Education

Cytology training programs are offered at the baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate (certificate) levels and are located in both university and hospital/laboratory settings. Students may be admitted to a cytology program in their junior or senior year of college or after they have completed their undergraduate studies. Specific course requirements vary somewhat among schools; however, 28 credits of sciences including chemistry and the biological sciences upon completion of a cytology program and three of mathematics, statistics, or equivalent are recommended.

Certification
Upon completion of a cytology program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), in collaboration with the Cytology Programs Review Committee of the American Society of Cytopathology, students are eligible to sit for a national certification examination given by the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry. Successful completion of this examination indicates attainment of entry level proficiency in the field, and individuals are then recognized as CT(ASCP) – certified cytologists.

US Certification Requirements for Internationally Trained Cytologists
At this time, all internationally trained cytologists must go through training in an accredited cytology program in the United States and pass the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC) exam.  In order to sit for the ASCP exam, a person must graduate from a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)-accredited program in collaboration with the Cytology Programs Review Committee (CPRC)/American Society of Cytopathology (ASC). 

You would be required to complete a program in the United States, graduate, and then sit for the certifying exam. In addition, each state is very different regarding its licensure process, and there may be additional requirements you will need to meet based on the state in which you plan to work.

Choose a Career in Cytology

CAAHEP Accredited Cytology Programs

ASCP Board of Certification (BOC) 

More information is available direct from CAAHEP’s website

The Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Cytology, effective 1/1/25