Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota, includes an extensive outpatient complex, Mayo Clinic Hospital — Rochester, and substantial research and education facilities. This Mayo Clinic site is among the largest, most advanced medical centers in the world.

The Cytotechnology Program is coordinated and taught by the clinical, scientific and technical staffs of Mayo Clinic. Faculty members are chosen for their commitment to teaching, as well as their clinical practice and research. Many have published and lectured extensively and are highly regarded in their fields.

Students have direct access to these individuals throughout the training program.

Kara Hansing, M.S.Ed., SCT(ASCP)CM

Program Director

Kara Hansing is the director of the Cytotechnology Program and holds academic rank as an instructor in laboratory medicine and pathology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where she teaches cytotechnology students and pathology residents and fellows as they complete required and elective rotations in cytopathology. She also teaches a professional enhancement course for cytotechnologists currently employed at Mayo Clinic.

Before taking on her present role, Ms. Hansing was the education coordinator for the Mayo Clinic Cytotechnology Program for three years and the education specialist for the Mayo Clinic Cytopathology Laboratory for nearly five years. She received her master’s degree in postsecondary and adult education from Capella University in 2013 and her specialist certification in cytotechnology from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification in 2009.

Ms. Hansing currently sits on the ASCP Cytopathology Committee as well as the American Society of Cytopathology (ASC) CELL Committee, where she served as chair for two years. Ms. Hansing’s academic interests include adult education and training in the health care setting. She was recently published in Cancer Cytopathology, a journal of the American Cancer Society.

Jessica Woodward, CT(ASCP)CM

Education Specialist

Jessica Woodward is a 2014 graduate of the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences Cytotechnology Program, completing her bachelor’s degree in human biology from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay the same year. Ms. Woodward remained at Mayo Clinic and has been on staff as a certified cytotechnologist for more than four years.

Before her role as Cytology Education Specialist, Ms. Woodward participated in various rotations including GYN, non-GYN, immunostains, acid-fast bacteria screening, and performance of on-site FNA adequacy assessments. Ms. Woodward transitioned into her current position in October 2017.

As Cytology Education Specialist, Ms. Woodward is dedicated full-time to the Cytotechnology Program. She works closely with the program director to develop and strengthen the curriculum. Her additional responsibilities include training medical residents on their cytology rotations. Ms. Woodward is active in the Minnesota Society of Cytotechnology and plans to pursue her master’s degree in education.