cytogenetics

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Im currently a last year MS student in cancer biology/molecular biology....anyone out there work in cytogenetics im thinking of getting into it between my masters and when i apply to med school, any info would be awesome....thanks
 
MSc44 said:
Im currently a last year MS student in cancer biology/molecular biology....anyone out there work in cytogenetics im thinking of getting into it between my masters and when i apply to med school, any info would be awesome....thanks
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My father is Ph.D director of a cytogenetics lab in Colorado. He went back for his Ph.D when he was about 40 (now 54) and managed a fellowship at Yale thereafter.

He still loves his work (after 30+ years of it), but it's a pretty rare specialty. He has moved 4 times in the last 10 years (across the country moves, not across town). I'm currently in pharmacy school, waiting to graduate and pay off my loans, only to most likely go back to school for a Ph.D sometime down the road... possibly is something genetics/pharmacolgy related.

I'll tell you that his number one frustration is the administration aspect of things, and MBA-types dictating what tests/equipment/personnel he can have, and at what times, in HIS lab.

Lay people find him and his work absolutely fascinating, although that wore off on me when I was about 10. 😉
 
Genzyme Genetics in Santa Fe has training classes periodically when they need new techs. Amnios, CVS, bone marrow, blood, tissue culture, chromosome analysis...you get to learn everything.

I was hired by them several years ago, went through the program and stayed on with them for 4 years. It's not a bad deal- you get paid to be trained and you get good benefits while living in a nice area, with opportunities for advancement at a fairly rapid pace.

I'd hate to be a director, though- to go through med school/grad school and than get stuck doing paperwork and management.
 
Runtita said:
Genzyme Genetics in Santa Fe has training classes periodically when they need new techs. Amnios, CVS, bone marrow, blood, tissue culture, chromosome analysis...you get to learn everything.
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Just FYI- Genzyme is considered by many in the field to be the Walmart of genetics lab facilities. They are the giant that makes every hospital administrator go "Hmm, lets think about scrapping our cyto program and outsourcing to genzyme..." Just IMHO.
 
jdpharmd? said:
Just FYI- Genzyme is considered by many in the field to be the Walmart of genetics lab facilities. They are the giant that makes every hospital administrator go "Hmm, lets think about scrapping our cyto program and outsourcing to genzyme..." Just IMHO.
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Your absolutely right. I worked as a Cytogenetics Technologist for over 3 years in a relatively small laboratory (about 14 techs). There is a lot of pressure to try and compete with Genzyme or LabCorp turn around times and costs. Smaller labs, like smaller stores, really have to struggle to keep up with the Wamart-type facilities. The field is extremely facinating though. And very helpful for residencies later in med gen, pathology, oncology, etc..
 
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