Curriculum
The Pathologists’ Assistant program curriculum at UTHSC 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.
Coursework
The programs curriculum is comprised of 76 total credits and the sequential coursework is as follows:
- Term 1: 24 credit hours
- Block 1: 15 weeks
- Human Anatomy for Pathologists’ Assistants (MSPA 511) – 6 credit hours
- Human Physiology for Pathologists’ Assistants (MSPA 515) – 3 credit hours
- Human Embryology for Pathologists’ Assistants (MSPA 516) – 2 credit hours
- Microanatomy (MSPA 521) – 4 credit hours
- Block 2: 8 weeks
- Introduction to Surgical and Autopsy Pathology I (MSPA 523) – 2 credit hours
- Foundations of Pathology I (MSPA 524) – 3 credit hours
- Seminar I (MSPA 514) – 3 credit hours (24 weeks)
- Block 1: 15 weeks
- Term 2: 19 credit hours
- Block 3: 7 weeks
- Introduction to Surgical and Autopsy Pathology II (MSPA 535) – 2 credit hours
- Foundations of Pathology II (MSPA 536) – 3 credit hours
- Block 4: 15 weeks
- Advanced Surgical and Autopsy Pathology (MSPA 541) – 4 credit hours
- Foundations of Pathology III (MSPA 540) - 6 credit hours
- Histopathology (MSPA 532) – 2 credit hours
- Seminar II (MSPA 534) – 3 credit hours (23 weeks)
- Block 3: 7 weeks
- Term 1: 16 credit hours (January – June)
- Pathologists’ Assistant Practicum I (MSPA 613) - 13 credit hours
- Pathology Review I (MSPA 614) - 3 credit hours
- Term 2: 17 credit hours (July – December)
- Pathologists’ Assistant Practicum II (MSPA 622) - 14 credit hours
- Pathology Review II (MSPA 623) - 3 credit hours
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.
Clinical Experience
Students will experience clinical work in various settings, including anatomic pathology, surgical pathology, pediatric pathology, and forensic pathology.
Current Clinical Affiliates
- American Esoteric Laboratories (Memphis, TN)
- Baptist Healthcare (Memphis, TN)
- Methodist University Hospital (Memphis, TN)
- Mississippi Baptist Medical Center (Jackson, MS)
- Northwestern Memorial Hospital (Chicago, IL)
- PathGroup (Nashville, TN)
- Regional One Hospital (Memphis, TN)
- UT DermPath (Memphis, TN)
- University of Tennessee Medical Center (Knoxville, TN)
- West Tennessee Healthcare (Jackson, TN)
- West Tennessee Regional Forensic Center, Office of the Medical Examiner (Memphis, TN)
Service Work Policy
- Service work in clinical settings outside of academic hours in noncompulsory.
- Students are not substituted for regular staff during student clinical experiences.
Graduate Entry-level Competencies
As a program seeking accreditation by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), the UT Health Science Center Pathologists’ Assistant Program abides by the standards established by NAACLS to train its students to possess the following entry level competencies by graduation:
The ability to prepare, grossly describe and dissect human tissue surgical specimens encompassing:
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- Assurance of appropriate specimen accessioning;
- Chronicle pertinent clinical information and history, including scans, x‐rays, laboratory data etc.;
- Description of gross anatomic features of surgical specimens, preparation of tissues for histological processing, collection of biological samples such as blood, tissue, and toxicological material for studies such as flow cytometry, image analysis, immunohistochemistry, etc., and performing special procedures including Faxitron imaging and tumor triage;
- Preparation and submission of appropriate tissue sections for light microscopy (routine processing) as well as special procedures such as frozen section, electron microscopy and immunofluorescence microscopy;
- Photographing all appropriate gross specimens and microscopic slides;
- Performance of duties relating to the administrative maintenance of surgical pathology protocols, reports and data, including the submission of reports, protocols, photographic data or slides, assisting in the completion of specimen coding and billing;
- Assurance of proper maintenance of equipment, provision of adequate supplies and cleanliness of the surgical pathology suite;
- Assisting in the organization and coordination of anatomic pathology conferences.
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The ability to perform human postmortem examination, including:
- Ascertaining proper legal authorization for autopsy;
- Obtaining patient’s medical record/chart(s) and other pertinent data for review with the attending pathologist;
- Conferring with the attending pathologist(s) to identify any special techniques and procedures to be utilized in the completion of examination (e.g., cultures smears; histochemical, immunofluorescence, toxicological, viral or electron microscopic studies, etc.), and notifying all personnel directly involved;
- Notifying the physician in charge, the funeral home, and all other appropriate authorities prior to the beginning of the autopsy; and coordinating any requests for special specimen sampling (e.g., organ transplantation, research, etc.).;
- Performing postmortem examinations which may include: external examination; in situ organ inspection; evisceration; dissection and dictation or recording of data such as organ weights, presence of body fluids, gross anatomic findings, etc.;
- Selecting, preparing, and submitting appropriate gross tissue sections for frozen section analysis as well as for light, electron and immunofluorescent microscopy;
- Obtaining biological specimens such as blood, tissue and toxicological material for studies including flow cytometry, image analysis, immunohistochemistry, etc.; and performing special procedures such as coronary artery perfusion, central nervous system perfusion, enucleation, inner ear bone dissection, spinal cord removal, etc.;
- Photographing the body, organs, microscopic slides and other pertinent materials;
- Gathering and organizing clinical information and data pertinent to the preparation of the preliminary summarization of the clinical history;
- Preparing the body for release, (including indicating the presence of biohazards such as contagious diseases, radiation implants, etc.) and releasing the body to the appropriate mortuary or funeral home representative;
- Performing duties related to administrative maintenance of anatomic pathology protocols; photographic and microscopic slides; and assuring the completion of coding;
- Assisting in the organization and coordination of anatomic pathology conference;
- Assuring the proper maintenance of equipment, the provision of adequate supplies
Performance of administrative, budgetary, supervisory, teaching, and other such duties as may be appropriate and assigned.
At entry level, the Pathologists’ Assistant will have the following basic knowledge and skills in:
- Anatomy and Basic Microanatomy
- General and Systemic Human Pathology
- Anatomic Pathology
- Surgical Pathology Techniques
- Autopsy Techniques
- Toxicology Collection Techniques
- Histological Methods and Techniques
- Concepts of Immunohistochemistry
- Concepts of Molecular Diagnostics
- Microbiology/Immunology
- Clinical Pathology
- Embryology
- Laboratory Safety
- Laboratory Information Systems
- Laboratory Management
- Medical Ethics
- Medical Terminology
- General Biology
- General and Organic Chemistry
- College‐level Mathematics, through Algebra
- Educational Methodologies”