Cytotechnologists' education and work in Finland.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to survey the work that cytotechnologists carry out in Finland.

METHODS: An electronic questionnaire was planned with the Board of the Finnish Association of Cytotechnologists and an email containing the link was sent to all 107 of its members in January 2018. It included 17 questions on their age and work experience, education and work. There was also space for them to add others comments.

RESULTS: Just under half (45%) replied. Their average age was 51 (range 28-64), 41% had a Bachelor degree, 59% had college-level training and they had spent an average of 15 years screening cytology specimens. After basic professional education they had completed their cytology education in many ways and the most common routes were internship training (71%) and one-year cytology specialisation (38%). Most of the cytotechnologists (85%) had duties other than screening and they mostly included a combination of histechnology and cytotechnology (37.5%) or just cytotechnology (17%) or histechnology (9%). The other 15% only screened cytology specimens. All cytotechnologists screened Pap smears, 94% screened urinary and respiratory specimens, 82% screened effusions and 39% screened fine-needle aspirations.

CONCLUSIONS: We found that internship training provided essential training for Finnish cytotechnologists after they complete their basic professional studies. They reported many other duties in addition to microscopy screening. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.