Power
While it's tempting to think those five-minute TV medical show tests are real, they're not. Very few tests can be done on short order. Being precise and accurate are the daily goals of this job; therefore, no one can force you to rush a test. Rushing means missing clues or failing to get a culture that's cultured enough to produce reliable results. You have the power to make people wait.
And people hate that.
But it's important. Imagine rushing a test and missing something that could indicate cancer. Or mixing up results and giving incorrect diagnoses because you were in a hurry. While cytogenetic techs don't meet patients face-to-face, what they do for a living directly affects these people. They can't afford to make mistakes.
Here's where your true power lies: in following the test steps and lab protocols to the letter, you'll be investing in the excellence that's the hallmark of your profession. You're in the driver's seat, so to speak, when it comes to the power connected to your profession. It's up to you to find these diseases before anyone else knows about them.