Cytotechnology labor market: an update.

Based on historic data, we recently developed a model for the cytotechnology labor market that predicted shrinkage in the workforce secondary to a reduced demand for cytotechnologists that would offset any expected increase secondary to demographic changes in the number of women eligible for cervical cancer screening. In this report, we describe the comparison of our previous model with data that were available for the 2005-2009 period. As predicted, the cytotechnology workforce experienced significant shrinkage. The 2008 wage decreased when adjusted for inflation, demand shifted downward significantly, and supply shifted, in response, slightly downward. In 2009 supply (6,064 available staff) and demand (6,355 open and filled positions) were lower than those of the 2005 market.