Admissions
The current application cycle is January 1, 2025 – May 31, 2025 (Class of 2027):
- All completed applications received within the application cycle will be reviewed.
- Applicants who meet the minimum admissions requirements will receive a brief pre-interview screening over Zoom.
- Select applicants will be invited for an in-person interview at the UTHSC Campus during the months of May, June, and July.
- All applicants will be notified of final decisions by July 31, 2025.
- We anticipate admitting 14 students to begin in January 2026
Apply Now
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 our Access and Compliance webpage.
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 courses. 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) 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.
- Completion of all required pre-requisite courses must be included in transcripts.
- 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 will help them achieve their goals.
- A Personal Learning Philosophy (see prompt in application).
- Upload a copy of their CV/Resume and a professional photo of themself.
Pre-requisite courses (must be receive a letter grade of “C” or higher):
- 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”
For admission to the Pathologists’ Assistant program at UTHSC, students are expected to be able to successfully meet the Technical Standards outlined below. Applicants 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 Disability Services for further information. Information regarding accommodations can be found on the Disability Services web page or email Keri Snyder.
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, emotional 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. 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.
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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