Michael L. Weitzeil, MHS, PA(ASCP)CM, Program Director
Samantha Etters, MS, PA(ASCP)CM, Clinical Coordinator
Kathleen Reed, MS, PA(ASCP)CM, Education Coordinator
Program Goals
- Students will be able to perform anatomic pathology techniques for the preparation, gross description, and dissection of human surgical tissue specimens.
- Students will be able to demonstrate and perform the appropriate non-forensic and forensic autopsy techniques for the recovery, preparation, evisceration, gross description and dissection of human organs and tissue specimens.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing and exhibit professional behavior.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to manage a pathology laboratory and autopsy service.
- Students will display an understanding of teaching pedagogy and an ability to clinically train other anatomic pathology healthcare professionals.
Mission Statement
The mission of the UT Health Science Center Pathologists’ Assistant program is to produce proficient entry-level Pathologists’ Assistants. Graduates will be equipped with the expertise demanded by the profession, enabling them to transition into roles within the gross room, autopsy suite, laboratory management, research, forensics, and education. We instill competency through comprehensive didactic and clinical experiences, ensuring our graduates are prepared for the diverse challenges and responsibilities they will encounter as certified Pathologists’ Assistants.
Curriculum Description
The Pathologists’ Assistant program curriculum reflects the breadth, depth, theory, and practice appropriate for, and beyond that of an entry level Pathologists’ Assistant. The 24-month program is divided into 12 months of didactic course work, and 12 months of clinical experience. The program is seeking NAACLS accreditation, and as such, intends to meet the standards for quality graduate education. Digital copies of the UTHSC Pathologists’ Assistant Program’s Student Handbook and Clinical Handbook are published and readily available to prospective students upon request at patha@uthsc.edu.
Accreditation
National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) is the premier accreditation organization for pathologists’ assistant programs. Strict standards required for this accreditation ensure a quality education as well as preparation for the certification examination and competence in the field as a pathologists’ assistant. The UTHSC Pathologists’ Assistant program is seeking NAACLS accreditation and intends to have serious-applicant status by November 2024, which will grant students the opportunity to sit for the American Society of Clinical Pathology Board of Certification Examination for Pathologists’ Assistants.
For more information, please visit the NAACLS website or contact:
National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
5600 N. River Rd.
Suite 720
Rosemont, IL 60018-5119
Telephone: 847.939.3597 or 773.714.8880
Admissions
The program will accept applications for admission into the Pathologists’ Assistant program from January 1st - May 31st of each year. All completed applications received within the application cycle will be reviewed. Select applicants will be invited for an in-person interview at the UTHSC campus in Memphis, TN. Notifications of acceptance will be made in July of each year and classes will begin the following January. To complete an application, visit the program’s website. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for admissions in the UT Health Science Center Pathologists’ Assistant Program without regard to race, color, religion, sex, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. For more information, please visit the UTHSC Access and Compliance webpage.
Student and faculty recruitment and employment practices are non-discriminatory in accordance with governmental regulations and those of the UT Health Science Center.
To be eligible for consideration for admission into the Pathologists’ Assistant program, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- A bachelor’s degree (BS or BA) from an accredited U.S. or Canadian undergraduate institution:
- Completion of all required pre-requisite courses must be included on transcripts
- Transcripts from all colleges/universities attended must be submitted
- An applicant may be conditionally accepted to a program without having completed all prerequisite work. However, coursework must be successfully completed prior to final acceptance and thereby starting the program.
- A recommended minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a recommended minimum pre-requisite GPA of 3.0.
- Read through the Technical Standards and attest to the ability to meet them.
- Shadowing experience: 8 hours of gross room shadowing experience (required); autopsy shadowing experience (strongly preferred). Applicants will be required to complete Shadowing Form(s) (found on the program website) to document their surgical and autopsy shadowing experiences and upload them into their application.
- Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to the student’s intellectual ability, work ethic, and professionalism. Applicants will provide the recommender’s contact information.
- A personal statement that includes why the applicant is interested in pursuing the career of a Pathologists’ Assistant and why the UT Health Science Center Pathologists’ Assistant Program is a good fit for you.
- A Personal Learning Philosophy (see prompt in application).
- Upload a copy of their CV/Resume and a professional photo of themself.
Pre-requisite courses:
- 8 semester hours of Biology coursework with laboratory
- 14 semester hours of Chemistry coursework with laboratory (examples include introductory/general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, etc.)
- 4 semester hours of Microbiology with laboratory
- 3 semester hours of Human Anatomy and/or Human Physiology
- 3 semester hours of College Algebra or higher
- 3 semester hours of English Composition or comparable
The following courses are not required for admission; however, these courses will enhance the applicant’s success in the Pathologists’ Assistant program and strengthen the application:
- Embryology
- Genetics
- Histology/Microanatomy
- Immunology
If an applicant accepts a position in the program:
- A $75 application fee will be applied to student account
- There is a $200 non-refundable holding fee to guarantee spot in the program. This fee will be credited towards tuition and fees
Health Requirements
In addition to general UTHSC requirements, students admitted to the program must submit evidence of good health. The health examination should include a chest x-ray or tuberculin skin test and a comprehensive eye examination which includes a test for color vision. (Imperfect color vision is not a basis for excluding an applicant from the program but instructors should know if this defect exists.) Students are also required to be immunized against Neisseria meningitidis and the Hepatitis B virus.
Technical Standards
For admission to the Pathologists’ Assistant program at UTHSC, students are expected to be able to successfully meet the Technical Standards outlined below. Students are required to sign the Technical Standards Commitment form indicating their understanding and ability to meet these standards either with or without accommodations (for persons with documented disabilities). Any questions about these technical standards should be directed to the program director.
UTHSC receives applications from a diverse body of potential students including those with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to help students meet these technical standards when appropriate, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Any student wishing accommodations should contact the Accessibility and Accommodations office for further information. Information regarding accommodations can be found on the Disability Services website or by calling (901)448-1218.
In the event a student cannot fulfill these Technical Standards with or without reasonable accommodations at any time in the program, the student will be ineligible for admission or continued enrollment in the program. In addition to ensuring that students can meet the intellectual, emotion and physical criteria, it should also be noted that of utmost importance is the student’s ability to provide for the welfare and safety of their patients and others. This is the foundation of all Technical Standards and if this cannot be done, the student is unable to meet the criteria outlined by the Technical Standards.
Once enrolled in the Pathologists’ Assistant Program, students must meet the requirements of the curriculum, including the demonstration of the skills described herein for the Program in order to progress through the curriculum and to graduate. The Pathologists’ Assistant Program’s Technical Standards are:
General Abilities:
- Ability to acquire information developed through didactic instruction, independent learning, clinical experience, and consultation
- Ability to complete written assignments and maintain written records
- Ability to perform duties and assignments in a timely fashion while under stress and in a variety of settings
- Ability to remain alert and concentrate for extended periods of time
- Ability to sit or stand for long periods of time while working at a gross bench
- Ability to understand reading assignments and to search and evaluate the literature
- Ability to use a computer for instructional assignments and patient care activities
- Possess organizational skills and be able to solve one or more problems within specific time frames which are often short
- Possess sufficient stamina to tolerate physically taxing workloads
- Visual acuity (corrected to 20/40); visual perception with respect to depth and the ability to differentiate between all colors
Observational/Sensory Skills:
- Ability to discriminate fine details and structures in objects
- Ability to observe demonstrations and participate in laboratory experiments
- Visual acuity (corrected to 20/40); visual perception with respect to depth and color
Physical and Motor Skills:
- Ability to grasp, pinch, push, pull, hold, extend, rotate, and cut
- Ability to manipulate, cut or control small objects such as tissues with forceps, scissors, and scalpels
- Dexterity with both wrists, hands and arms, and dexterity will all fingers
- Possess eye-hand coordination and ability to accurately judge distance and depth
- Possess sufficient motor function to operate/manipulate and maintain a microscope, and other laboratory instruments or equipment including computers
- Possess the ability dissect surgical specimens and prepare tissues for the microscopic examination to include the preparation of frozen and permanent sections for light, electron and immunofluorescent microscopy.
- Possess the motor skills necessary to perform the postmortem examinations to include the prosection, selection and preparation of tissues for examination
Communication:
- Ability to communicate in English in oral and written form
- Ability to participate in discussion in the classroom, the clinical arena and with colleagues and patients
Professional Conduct, Behavioral & Social Skills:
- Ability to adhere to safety guidelines for self and others
- Ability to comply with standards and regulations required by external agencies
- Ability to delegate responsibilities appropriately and supervise others
- Ability to follow instructions/procedures with accuracy and precision
- Ability to function as part of a team through communication, consultation, negotiation, and sharing
- Ability to learn and exhibit professional attributes
- Ability to maintain intellectual and emotional stability and maturity under stress, while also maintaining appropriate performance standards
- Ability to manage time, organize workload, and meet deadlines
Clinical Judgement:
- Ability to adapt to a variety of patient care situations, including crises
- Ability to make sound judgments and formulate diagnoses after correlating clinical data with laboratory findings
- Ability to obtain and/or verify patient samples
- Ability to prioritize and perform laboratory testing
- Ability to troubleshoot instrumentation problems and resolve staining inconsistencies
Clinical Experience
Clinical affiliation sites are located in Memphis, throughout Tennessee, and in other states. Due to the limited number of clinical sites in Memphis, it is necessary for students to accept the financial impact of traveling and living out of town for a portion of their clinical assignments. The Pathologists’ Assistant program will make every effort to place all students on clinical rotation. Occasionally, a scheduled clinical experience at an affiliation site is unavailable due to circumstances beyond the control of the University. However, because the experience is required for graduation, the program may arrange for other options that include placement at a more distant clinical site. A student’s graduation due to lack of clinical placement may be delayed if a clinical rotation cannot be secured and the student is not able to take advantage of the other options provided. All students who successfully complete the first year of the program will be provided with clinical training opportunities. Should a clinical training opportunity not be readily available, the program will ensure that meaningful educational opportunities are provided until clinical training opportunities are obtained.
Service work in clinical settings outside of academic hours is noncompulsatory and at no time will a student be substituted for regular staff during their clinical experience.
Program Specific Policies
Grading Policy
Written and practical examinations and performance evaluations are a part of the educational program. All courses in each term must be passed before the student is allowed to progress to the next term. No credit for any course is awarded until the end of the term. The point-grade conversion scale used by the Pathologists’ Assistant program for all courses is as follows:
- A = 100-94
- A- = 93-90
- B+ = 89-87
- B = 86-84
- B- = 83-80
- C+ = 79-77
- C = 76-74
- C- = 73-70
- F = <69
All final grades are rounded to the nearest whole number and assigned according to the grade-point conversion scale. Information about grading for incompletes and withdrawals is covered in the general college section of the bulletin. Students should reference this information about grade assignments in these situations.
Granting of the degree is not contingent upon the students passing any type of external certification or licensure examination.
Attendance Requirement
Pathologists’ Assistant students are expected to attend all scheduled classes, student labs, and clinical lab assignments. In the case of absence due to illness or emergency, the student should notify the appropriate faculty member and clinical site as soon as possible, but no later than 8:00AM of the day missed. For any other absences, prior arrangements must be made with the specific instructor(s) involved. Appointments for health services should not be made during scheduled class time.
