Become a Histotechnologist

What you'll do: Also known as histologic technologists or tissue technologists, you'll prepare slices of body tissue for examination by pathologists. As a histotechnologist, you'll be performing complex procedures for processing body tissue and make judgments concerning the quality of results.

Where you'll work: Most histotechnologists work in hospitals or clinical pathology labs, but you might also work in research laboratories, doctors' offices, for a pharmaceutical company or for a government agency.

Degree you'll need: Bachelor's degree

Median annual salary: $44,740 – $54,061

Cities with highest employment level: New York, Boston, Houston, Chicago, Washington, DC, Atlanta

Your daily duties as a histotechnologist will likely include the following:

• Preparing slides of human or animal tissue for study
• Identifying any abnormalities in tissue structure and cell components for further analysis by the pathologist
• Relating the test results to physiological functions
• Implementing new testing techniques and procedures

In order to become a histotechnologist, you'll need to have a bachelor's degree and certification from a National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) or Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA) accredited program. In addition to histology and histochemistry, you'll learn processing techniques, preparation of specimens and microcopy. Courses in histotechnology generally include the following:

• Medical Terminology
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Immunology
• Anatomy and Physiology

Regulations vary from state to state, but certification is highly recommended because many employers require it. The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) offers national certification and testing, which earns histotechnologists the title Certified Histotechnologist (CHTL).
_{Source: Salary.com, 2011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010}