Forensic Pathology Assistant Certification

Forensic Pathology Assistant Certification thumbnail
Pathologists' assistants routinely examine lab specimens.

A pathologists' assistant (PA) is a health care professional trained to perform pathology services under the supervision of a pathologist, medical examiner or coroner. Pathologists' assistants are employed primarily in the field of forensics.

  1. Duties

    • The majority of a PA's duties involve assisting in gross examination and dissection and preparing lab specimens, such as samples of organ tissue from cadavers.

    Training

    • Training programs for pathologists' assistants are two years long. Medical schools and universities offer these programs.

    Degrees

    • The majority of pathologists' assistant training programs are two-year master's level programs, with individuals entering into them upon graduating with a bachelor's degree.

    Certification

    • The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) offers certification for individuals who have successfully completed the PA course of study and passed a comprehensive examination.

    Licensure

    • As of 2010, Nevada is the only state with a law requiring that pathologists' assistants obtain licensure from the state.

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  • Photo Credit microscope image by Fotocie from Fotolia.com

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