Pathologists’ Assistant Program Academic Experience

Program Format

The Pathologists’ Assistant program is a 24-month (8 quarter) full time professional training program that will culminate in the receipt of a Master of Science in Anatomic Pathology degree from the University of Washington. The first year includes rigorous didactic medical education with concomitant application of that education to the pathologists’ assistants job skills and techniques. During the first year students will be exposed to the every-day responsibilities of Pathologists’ Assistants as well as the broad scope of practice and opportunities for growth.

Second year students will complete 48 weeks of practical rotations with simultaneous guided study and review of the first-year curriculum in preparation for the ASCP exam. A capstone project will be completed by students prior to graduation.

Program Goals

• Patient Care and Ethics: Graduates will demonstrate trustworthiness, consistently demonstrating ethical behavior, upholding the highest professional standards, and prioritizing patient care and service.
• Mastery of Anatomic Pathology: Graduates will demonstrate a solid, practical understanding of anatomic pathology principles and practices, including surgical and autopsy procedures.
• Confident Technical Proficiency: Graduates will proficiently perform essential laboratory procedures, including correct histological and anatomical techniques, with confidence, accuracy, and timeliness, thus helping to provide excellent patient care.
• Clinical Correlation: Graduates will skillfully correlate clinical information with pathologic findings, utilizing analytical and critical thinking and drawing on a solid medical knowledge, to ensure diagnostic accuracy and improve patient outcomes.
• Communication and Teamwork: Communication and Teamwork: Graduates will demonstrate communication and interpersonal skills such that they can work effectively within multidisciplinary teams to enhance patient care and laboratory operations
• Critical Thinking Skills: Graduates will cultivate strong skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, and resourcefulness to allow them to effectively resolve both technical and systemic issues within a lab environment.
• Commitment to Quality: Graduates will engage in quality assurance and continuous improvement efforts to ensure laboratory practices are optimized for efficiency and optimal patient outcomes.
• Leadership and Management: Graduates will develop leadership and management skills needed to assume key supervisory responsibilities within a laboratory setting.
• Systemic Awareness and Impact: Graduates will understand their critical role and appreciate how their actions impact patient care and contribute to the overall laboratory and healthcare systems.
• Future Stewards of the Profession: Graduates will emerge as dedicated stewards of the profession, actively advocating for the advancement of the field. They will demonstrate leadership in professional organizations, contribute to the ongoing development of best practices, and mentor the next generation of pathologists’ assistants to ensure the profession’s growth and integrity.

UW Graduate Student Requirements

As students at the University of Washington, all students will be required to comply with the policies and requirements of UW's Graduate School.

Curriculum

Courses & Degree Requirements

To earn the Master of Science in Anatomic Pathology degree, you must successfully complete all didactic, practicum, and capstone credits. You will earn these credits by completing a series of courses over eight quarters, including 48 weeks of practicum rotations and a capstone project. All students follow the same sequence of required first year courses, which start in summer quarter. Practicum courses will vary in location and length, but all standards will fulfill minimum requirements of practicum experience. Students will also have the opportunity to complete elective coursework or practicums to obtain a specialization.

Course Sequence

Course titles and descriptions are subject to change.

Year One, Summer (14 credits)

• PATH 508 - Intro to Anatomic Pathology, (4 credits)
• PATH 509 - Fundamentals of Medical Science, (7)
• PATH 524 - Histotechnology, (3)
• PATH 505 - Pathology Seminar (noncredit)

Year One, Autumn (14 credits)

• PATH 529 - Interdisciplinary Pathology, (5 credits)
• PATH 519 - Integrated Body Systems I, (7)
• PATH 541 - Applied Anatomic Pathology Techniques I, (2)
• PATH 505 - Pathology Seminar (noncredit)

Year One, Winter (15 credits)

• PATH 539 - Integrated Body Systems II, (7 credits)
• PATH 542 - Applied Anatomic Pathology Techniques II, (2)
• PATH 545 - Pediatric Pathology, (3)
• PATH 561 - Forensics and the Brain, (3)
• PATH 505 - Pathology Seminar, (noncredit)

Year One, Spring (13 credits)

• PATH 549 - Integrated Body Systems III, (7 credits)
• PATH 543 - Applied Anatomic Pathology Techniques III, (2)
• PATH 505 - Pathology Seminar, (1)
• LAB M 520 - Organization and Management in Laboratory Medicine, (3)

Year Two (54 credits)

• PATH 610 - Surgical Pathology Practicum (32*)
• PATH 630 - Autopsy Pathology Practicum. (4*)
• PATH 645 - Pediatric Pathology Practicum, (2*)
• PATH 661 - Forensic Pathology Practicum, (2*)
• PATH 589 - Pathology Review, (4)
• PATH 501 - Capstone, (2*)

*Minimum credit hours needed. Up to eight elective practicum credits available.

PATH 501 – Capstone

Capstone projects provide a culminating learning experience that applies the academic knowledge and skills students gained from the program to solve complex, real-world problems. All students will be assigned a mentorship team to help them explore their interests and options for capstone projects. Through these projects, students will be challenged to think critically and demonstrate their readiness for careers as Pathologists’ Assistants. Example capstone projects will vary, but may include research, interprofessional collaborations, educational materials, publishable case studies, quality improvement initiatives, or much more.

Practicum

Exposure to clinical laboratories with practical experience will begin in the first year as part of the applied techniques curriculum, once students demonstrate a certain level of competence. The second year will be devoted to practical rotations in surgical, pediatric, autopsy, and forensic pathology and will provide an opportunity for elective rotations based on the student’s interest. A total of 48 practicums will be required the second year, equating to one credit per week, to include a minimum of 32 weeks in surgical, 4 in autopsy, 2 in forensics, and 2 in pediatrics, although every attempt will be made to allow for 4-week rotations in both forensics and pediatrics. Additional practicum credits (8) will be distributed based on student preference, as much as possible. While we have and are seeking rotation sites throughout the pacific northwest, it is our intention to minimize logistical constraints for students as much as possible while prioritizing providing the highest quality practical experiences.

Clinical Experience

Students will complete practical rotations in surgical, pediatric, autopsy, and forensic pathology in a variety of settings, including community hospitals, academic centers, and private labs. Practical rotation schedules will be individualized to each student with all students receiving the same amount of core credits but in different sequences.

Practicum Requirements

The second year consists of 48 weeks of practical rotations. Each week is equivalent to 1 credit hour. The minimum credit hours vary by practicum type. Elective weeks can be distributed between the required practicum types or specialized rotations that align with the students’ career goals. Potential elective rotations include biobanking, histotechnology, informatics, quality improvement, laboratory management research, and teaching. The student will be responsible for discussing potential elective rotations with their Supervisory Committee prior to the second year.

• Surgical (32 credits)
• Autopsy (4)
• Forensic (2)
• Pediatric (2)
• Elective (8)

Practicum Rotations

It is the intention that all students will complete the following rotations:

• Surgical Pathology – UW Montlake
• Surgical Pathology – Harborview Medical Center
• Autopsy Pathology – UW Montlake
• Forensic Pathology – King County Medical Examiner
• Pediatric Pathology – Seattle Children's Hospital
• Additional Surgical Pathology rotations will be completed at a selection of affiliate sites which vary in length of rotation.  Students should expect between 3 and 7 surgical pathology sites, depending on a variety of factors.