Histology Specialist

Duties and Responsibilities:

Histology Specialists include both Histologic Technicians and Histologists.  Histologists are also referred to as Histotechnologists. Both histologic technicians and histologists prepare tissue samples that are used by physicians to determine if a patient has a disease, dysfunction, or malignancy. 

Histology technicians and histologists prepare samples by using equipment to thinly slice tissue samples.  They then mount the thin slices on microscope slides and use chemicals to stain them so important structures are visible. 

Median Salary: 48,710

Education:

Students should take the most challenging high school courses in science, math, and English. 

To become a histologic technician, students must either earn an associate's degree in the field and complete a one year internship or complete a long-term training program in a histopathology lab.  They must also pass a national examination.