Sr. Pathology Assistant

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Job Description Summary:

The Senior Pathologists’ Assistants are academically and practically trained to provide accurate and timely processing of a variety of laboratory specimens, including comprehensive macroscopic examination and evaluation of all surgical pathological specimens. The Senior PA is responsible for case accessioning (when needed), gross description and sampling of tissue specimens at all levels of complexity, evisceration and prosection of autopsies, compilation and dictation of preliminary autopsy diagnosis, preparation and collection of tissue for special studies, evaluation of and sampling of tissues at time of frozen section, cutting, staining and cover slipping of frozen section tissue, photographing of surgical autopsy cases, opening/selection of tissue for The Cooperative Human Tissue Network (CHTN), maintaining supplies of gross room/morgue, disposal of old specimens (when necessary), identification of and resolution of labeling/identification discrepancies, assisting other gross room staff (when appropriate), assistance with procedural writing and updates (when appropriate). All of the above is done with a degree of supervision needed for each activity. The supervision level is determined by the Pathologists' Assistant Supervisor or the Pathologist in charge of the gross room.

Responsibilities And Duties:

80% Evaluation and gross dissection of all specimens at all complexity levels.
Accurately complete the gross evaluation of all surgical specimens including the most complex non-cancer and cancer cases.  This necessitates proper description/dictation, identification, sectioning and cosseting of the specimen.  The specific scope will be as expansive as skill and knowledge allows.

5% Assistance in gross room frozen section preparation.
Under direct or indirect Pathologist supervision, evaluate and select tissue for frozen section diagnosis.  If necessary, perform all functions of the slide preparation including tissue freezing, cutting, staining, and cover slipping.  Preparation of and staining alcohol/air-dried touch preps is also necessary.  Process special study tissue i.e. ER/PR, Lymphoma, Chromosome analysis when needed.  Must be able to keep simultaneous frozen section specimens on different patients and/or same patient with multiple sites separated, properly identified, organized, and labeled.

5% Autopsy Performance
Perform identification and external examination of autopsy case.  Perform the evisceration and prosection of autopsy cases.  Dictate gross findings and prepare preliminary autopsy diagnosis.  Eviscreation includes organ/organ block removal, weighing of selected organs and the further dissection of the tissue.  Prosection includes the selection of tissue for microscopic examination and the dictation of the gross findings.  Closing the body cavities and cleaning of the autopsy suite is also required (when necessary).  The cleaning is to follow the established safety and infection control procedures. 

5% Maintenance of Gross Room
Ensure that all instruments are sharp and that work stations are well-stocked.  Maintain all machines in an excellent working manner.  Keep supply inventory at an optimum level and order supplies when needed.  Ensure that the general cleanliness of the gross room is preserved in an excellent manner.

5% Perform miscellaneous assigned tasks
This includes but is not limited to the photographing of surgical specimens, assisting Supervising Senior PA in meeting CAP standards, the disposal of tissue, observance of all safety precautions, computer knowledge, file correlation, troubleshooting, accessioning, and the preparation of  conference case material.  

Minimum Qualifications:

Master's Degree: PathologyASCP - American Society for Clinical Pathology - American Society for Clinical Pathology

Additional Job Description: