Pathology Assistant
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Altru Hospital

Pathology Assistant

Location: Grand Forks, ND Positions: 1 Employment Type: Contract Contract Length: 13 weeks Schedule: 5 x 8s, 40 hours per week

Required Qualifications

• Completion of a NAACLS accredited Pathologists' Assistant program
• ASCP certification, or ASCP exam ready with certification completed prior to start date
• Pathologists' Assistant certification (American Society for Clinical Pathology), verified by HR primary sources prior to start date
• Pathologists' Assistant experience of at least 2 years, with experience within the last year

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior grossing experience

Role Summary

The Pathology Assistant works under the direct or indirect supervision of a pathologist to prepare and perform surgical specimen and frozen section dissections and to dictate accurate gross descriptions. The role also supports quality assurance, quality control, instrument maintenance, and troubleshooting, and requires strong customer service and communication skills with pathologists, providers, and co-workers.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform surgical specimen dissection, from simple to complex, and provide quality material for routine histology and specialized tests
• Perform frozen sections and maintain cryostats
• Dictate complete and accurate gross descriptions
• Verify patient identification on all specimens processed for microscopic examination
• Interpret and report validated tests, and investigate discrepant results with appropriate corrective action
• Perform and document quality control and preventive maintenance
• Maintain equipment, supplies, and cleanliness of the surgical pathology gross cutting area and morgue, and dispose of tissues and reagents per standard operating procedures
• Keep the gross bench procedure manual current, including review of CAP compliance