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Pathologists’ assistants combine profound knowledge of human anatomy and disease systems with clinical procedural skills to help a pathologist diagnose diseases, assist in autopsies and ensure successful treatment for all patients.

As a pathologists’ assistant, you’ll uncover the many factors preventing the healthy function of organs and body systems. Our NAACLS-accredited program — one of only 15 of its kind in the U.S. and Canada — teaches you to examine, process and prepare tissue specimens for a variety of clinical tests and procedures. The skills you acquire place you in high demand in hospitals, clinical laboratories, research and medical teaching facilities.

Our program emphasizes a strong foundation in the theory and application of anatomical, surgical and autopsy pathology. You’ll become proficient in such procedures as light microscopy, biomedical imaging, frozen sections and tumor triage. This combination of knowledge and technical skill enables you to competently identify diseases, assist in postmortem examinations and compile accurate clinical histories.

State-of-the-art facilities, such as our clinical skills lab, blend the classroom and laboratory dynamic for a collaborative and hands-on learning experience. Your 12-month rotations place you in both community and university hospitals, giving you the opportunity to apply your skills in settings for both surgical and autopsy pathology and further define your career goals.

Student Learning Outcomes

Through their graduate studies, pathologists’ assistant students are able to:

Develop a comprehensive knowledge of scientific facts, principles and data that contribute to the practice and operation of a pathology laboratory.
Understand performance‑based education in order to assist the anatomic pathologist in the hospital or in other medical environments.
Compare the structure and physiological functions of normal organs, tissues and cells to those of abnormal ones.
Understand the characteristics of stains and the staining properties of normal and abnormal cells and their cellular constituents.
Assist the pathologist who is determining the pathogenesis of disease by:

Properly collecting and handling specimens and keeping appropriate records using biomedical/photography techniques.
Submitting tissues and selecting the necessary and appropriate techniques for processing and proper staining procedures.
Proving accurate gross descriptions and selective sectioning of surgical specimens following established protocols and procedures.
Reviewing histological slides for technical quality and collecting clinical information and laboratory data for final diagnosis by the pathologist.

Perform a postmortem examination and relate the clinical history to the results of the dissection.
Recognize and record anatomic and morphologic changes in relation to clinical manifestations and laboratory data for the pathologist’s interpretation.
Understand the operation and services provided by the anatomic pathology laboratories and develop skills for the operation and management of the autopsy suite and surgical cutting room.
Interact with the pathologist by integrating didactic biomedical knowledge with practical hospital-based training.
Through management training and experience, supervise and coordinate the work of other laboratory professionals.