What does a pathology assistant do?
A pathology assistant specializes in performing autopsies and specimen surgeries under the supervision of a pathologist. Among their duties include gathering and examining tissue samples, processing and studying body parts, performing dissections, and recording all procedures and observations, including taking videos and photos. They may also help pathologists study a patient's cause of death, produce medical reports, and manage pathology students. Moreover, a pathology assistant also performs clerical tasks such as answering calls and correspondence, handling supply inventory, and maintaining records.
Pathology assistant responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real pathology assistant resumes:
- Manage scheduling and patient treatment according to insurance and Medicaid guidelines.
- Assist QA clerk with processing of QA material on an as-need basis.
- Perform frozen sectioning, touch preps, and assist in bone marrow aspirations.
- Direct a complex IHC project to transition staff from a manual process to automation.
- Collect data on student achievements for the purpose of documenting activities and preparing reports/updating IEP's.
- Increase client's level of engagement in therapy by producing self-modeling video for pediatric client with autism.
- Plan and provide appropriate therapy goals design to individual needs that are consistent with speech and language objectives.
- Insert pro-fee codes and hospital billing codes in PDS system and enter cytology and surgical pathology cases in Meditech system.
- Express target goals and objectives within annual IEP meetings with staff and parents to insure the continued progress of each student.
- Assist when need specimen collection from surgery and accessioning into Meditech.
- Cultivate and maintain relationships with pathology and radiology clients through regular interactions.
- Cover autopsy evisceration, cytology specimen processing and frozen section when short staff.
- Experience with language-impair and learning-disable students with language, pragmatic, articulation and fluency disorders.
- Used pathology software program Sunquest CoPath to determine diagnoses and classify materials for ongoing biomarker research.
- Charge with accurately transcribing significant reports including histories and physicals, discharge summaries, operative and consultation reports.
Pathology assistant skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of Pathology Assistants are proficient in Patients, Frozen Sections, and Dictation. They’re also known for soft skills such as Computer skills, Listening skills, and Time-management skills.
We break down the percentage of Pathology Assistants that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 16%
Assisted patients in Outpatient Services by registering demographics into the system and ordering tests for the laboratory and radiology departments.
- Frozen Sections, 8%
Assist pathologists with grossing of surgical pathological specimens, as well as assisting pathologists with frozen sections and staining of slides.
- Dictation, 8%
Typed all dictation related to specimen and autopsy review and examination.
- Anatomic Pathology, 7%
Provide service in Anatomic Pathology under the direction and supervision of a pathologist.
- Patient Care, 6%
Assisted outside institutions to receive patient documentation and materials for ongoing patient care.
- Body Fluids, 5%
Prepared microscope slides of tissue and body fluids for the detection of pathological conditions.
Common skills that a pathology assistant uses to do their job include "patients," "frozen sections," and "dictation." You can find details on the most important pathology assistant responsibilities below.
Computer skills. The most essential soft skill for a pathology assistant to carry out their responsibilities is computer skills. This skill is important for the role because "medical transcriptionists must know how to operate electronic health records (ehr) systems and should be comfortable using software to prepare reports." Additionally, a pathology assistant resume shows how their duties depend on computer skills: "accessioned cases into laboratory computer system. "
Listening skills. Many pathology assistant duties rely on listening skills. "medical transcriptionists must pay attention to hear and interpret the intended meaning of dictations.," so a pathology assistant will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways pathology assistant responsibilities rely on listening skills: "communicated with other clinical departments, patients, and physicians with respect and dignity"
Time-management skills. pathology assistants are also known for time-management skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to pathology assistant responsibilities, because "medical transcriptionists must organize their schedules well because they may need to produce transcriptions under tight deadlines." A pathology assistant resume example shows how time-management skills is used in the workplace: "performed examination and dictation of human tissue using and maintaining pathology lab instrumentation within deadlines and turnaround time standards. "
Writing skills. For certain pathology assistant responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "writing skills." The day-to-day duties of a pathology assistant rely on this skill, as "medical transcriptionists need a good understanding of english grammar in order to ensure that transcribed reports are correct." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what pathology assistants do: "assisted in evaluation of new patients -assisted in writing goals for patients -participated in one on one therapy with children. "
The three companies that hire the most pathology assistants are:
- Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings16 pathology assistants jobs
- RWJBarnabas Health13 pathology assistants jobs
- Mount Sinai Health System5 pathology assistants jobs
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Compare different pathology assistants
Pathology assistant vs. Certified pharmacist technician
A certified pharmacist technician is responsible for assisting patients by providing medicines based on their needs or their physicians' prescriptions. Certified pharmacist technicians must be able to supply the correct medications, including the right dosage to patients. They must also have a broad understanding of the medical industry, providing medicinal information to patients and referring them to the right health professionals as needed. Certified pharmacist technicians also monitor medicine inventories, manage supplies, and create sales reports.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, pathology assistant responsibilities require skills like "frozen sections," "dictation," "anatomic pathology," and "body fluids." Meanwhile a typical certified pharmacist technician has skills in areas such as "math," "telephone calls," "inventory control," and "rx." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Certified pharmacist technicians really shine in the health care industry with an average salary of $37,078. Comparatively, pathology assistants tend to make the most money in the health care industry with an average salary of $48,466.The education levels that certified pharmacist technicians earn slightly differ from pathology assistants. In particular, certified pharmacist technicians are 4.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a pathology assistant. Additionally, they're 3.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Pathology assistant vs. Clinical laboratory technician
A clinical laboratory technician typically works under the direction of a physician or medical technologist to perform tests that will aid in the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions and illnesses. You will perform various duties, including preparing samples for analysis, monitoring tests and procedures, and matching blood for transfusion. Additionally, you are expected to participate in staff training and educational opportunities and contribute to a secure and safe environment for patients, physicians, co-workers, and visitors. This role will also require ensuring that laboratory information remains confidential.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that pathology assistant responsibilities requires skills like "frozen sections," "dictation," "anatomic pathology," and "pathology residents." But a clinical laboratory technician might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "clinical laboratory technologist," "hematology," "proficiency testing," and "qc."
Clinical laboratory technicians earn a higher average salary than pathology assistants. But clinical laboratory technicians earn the highest pay in the media industry, with an average salary of $56,548. Additionally, pathology assistants earn the highest salaries in the health care with average pay of $48,466 annually.In general, clinical laboratory technicians achieve similar levels of education than pathology assistants. They're 0.1% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 3.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Pathology assistant vs. Medical laboratory technician
A medical laboratory technician is responsible for assisting medical health professionals in conducting laboratory tests to diagnose patients' conditions and provide treatments. Medical laboratory technicians ensure the sanitation of all the tools and equipment before conducting tests. They collect adequate blood samples and specimens, analyze fluid elements, utilize laboratory equipment safely, create reports of findings, and alert medical personnel and medical technologists of emergency conditions. A medical laboratory technician must have excellent knowledge of the medical industry disciplines and processes to perform sensitive tasks and release accurate medical results.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, pathology assistants are more likely to have skills like "frozen sections," "dictation," "anatomic pathology," and "pathology residents." But a medical laboratory technician is more likely to have skills like "medical laboratory," "ascp," "clinical laboratory," and "mlt."
Medical laboratory technicians earn the best pay in the health care industry, where they command an average salary of $50,515. Pathology assistants earn the highest pay from the health care industry, with an average salary of $48,466.medical laboratory technicians typically earn similar educational levels compared to pathology assistants. Specifically, they're 4.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 4.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Pathology assistant vs. Clinical laboratory scientist
A Clinical Laboratory Scientist is responsible for performing laboratory tests that doctors count on to correctly diagnose and treat patients. They examine body fluids, tissues, and cells, identify infective microorganisms, and analyze the chemical constituents of body fluids.
Types of pathology assistant
Updated January 8, 2025
