Job Listing
Cytotechnologist
Veterans Health Administration · Posted 117 days ago
About the Role
This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.
What You'll Do
- →Evaluates the quality and adequacy of all patient samples before accepting and logging them into the section.
- →Prepares and stains cytology slides for all GYN and non-GYN specimens.
- →Evaluates the quality of all cytology preparations by light microscopy.
- →Makes preliminary diagnoses independently of the pathologist.
- →Makes diagnoses using a wide range of knowledge of the human body and pathologic processes, including normal/abnormal cellular patterns, inflammatory reactions, presence of microorganisms, benign changes, premalignant conditions, and cellular responses to therapeutic agents.
- →Makes diagnoses using clinical history provided and/or consults clinician using experience and knowledge in order to collect significant information necessary for an accurate diagnosis.
- →Uses extensive knowledge of cellular morphology for all specimens which include cervical/vaginal (gynecologic), GI, GU, respiratory, body cavity and cyst fluids, CSF specimens, fine needle aspiration biopsies of all organs (liver, pancreas, adrenal, lymph node, kidney, lung, breast, head, and neck).
- →Monitors stain quality, preparation techniques, and workflow daily.
- →Ensures that cytology turnaround-time metrics are always maintained.
- →Attends fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy procedures throughout the medical center in order to collect, handle, prepare and triage the specimen and render preliminary diagnoses of adequacy (Radiology, Urology, ENT, Oral Surgery, Operating Room, Medical bed services, etc.).
- →Prepares and stains FNA smears for the purpose of rendering an adequacy reading, preliminary diagnosis and specimen triage.
- →Decides how the FNA specimen should be handled (fixed, unfixed, etc.) for further evaluation.
- →Consults with the pathologist (and clinician if present) about patient clinical history and the need for further specimen sampling or additional ancillary tests.
- →Travels or communicates to other departments, as necessary, to advise physicians on proper differential diagnosis, makes independent professional decisions on methods of collection and handling of samples and on the need for repeat of the procedure, if deemed necessary.
Requirements
- ✓You must be a U.S.
- ✓Citizen to apply for this job.
- ✓All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.
- ✓Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
- ✓Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- ✓Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
- ✓Subject to background/security investigation.
- ✓Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
- ✓Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).
- ✓Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
- ✓Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
- ✓Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
- ✓As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
- ✓In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Personality Fit
Job ID: 5771619b-d8ff-4c7e-89f1-2a8bef5db029
Posted via USAJobs