Genetics is the study of the chemistry of cells, tissues and organs associated with heredity. Cytogenetics is a combination of cytology (the study of cells) and genetics (the study of inherited variations). Through cytogenetics, scientists learn how genetic material, especially chromosomes, can affect future generations. A clinical cytogeneticist performs tests on genetic material in a laboratory, and analyses and interprets the results to determine whether a patient will have an inherited disease or a disease risk.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. The United States has 123 practicing clinical cytogeneticists. Broken out by state, clinical cytogenetics doctor density in Alabama is 3, in Arizona is 2, in California is 37, in Colorado is 4, in Connecticut is 4, in Delaware is 1, in District of Columbia is 6, in Florida is 8, in Georgia is 1, in Illinois is 9, in Indiana is 3, in Iowa is 1, in Kansas is 2, in Louisiana is 1, in Maine is 1, in Maryland is 11, in Massachusetts is 11, in Michigan is 5, in Minnesota is 7, in Mississippi is 1, in Missouri is 5, in Nebraska is 3, in Nevada is 2, in New Hampshire is 1, in New Jersey is 5, in New Mexico is 1, in New York is 20, in North Carolina is 6, in Ohio is 7, in Oklahoma is 2, in Oregon is 5, in Pennsylvania is 9, in Rhode Island is 1, in South Carolina is 2, in South Dakota is 1, in Tennessee is 3, in Texas is 10, in Utah is 1, in Vermont is 1, in Virginia is 3, in Washington is 8, and in Wisconsin is 5.