Top 12 Pathologist Assistant Skills to Put on Your Resume

In the intricate world of pathology, assistant skills stand as critical markers of professional capability and adaptability, separating candidates who can handle the grind from those who just get by. This guide spotlights the top 12 skills a pathologist assistant should feature on a resume to show proficiency and readiness to excel in a demanding, deeply rewarding discipline.

Pathologist Assistant Skills

1. Histopathology
2. Grossing Techniques
3. Immunohistochemistry
4. Autopsy Protocols
5. Digital Pathology
6. LIS (Laboratory Information System)
7. Microtomy
8. Cryosectioning
9. Specimen Photography
10. Molecular Diagnostics
11. Quality Control
12. Safety Compliance

1. Histopathology

Histopathology is the study of diseased tissue under the microscope to diagnose and understand disease, especially cancers. A Pathologist Assistant prepares and examines tissue, supporting pathologists in reaching timely, accurate conclusions.

Why It's Important

It anchors diagnosis. Microscopic review pinpoints disease, guides therapy, and tracks progression. Without clean prep and precise processing, the best eyes in the room get blurry signals.

How to Improve Histopathology Skills

Precision, speed, and tight teamwork make the difference. Focus on:

1. Continuous Education: Stay current with techniques and technology. Pathology Outlines and similar resources help with updates and case patterns.

2. Adopt Digital Pathology: Use digital slides when available to sharpen turnaround and enable remote review and image analysis. The Digital Pathology Association publishes practical guidance.

3. Sharpen Communication: Clear, concise case discussions with pathologists and clinicians prevent errors and delays. CAP publishes best practices on reporting and workflow.

4. Lean Thinking: Trim waste in the workflow. Map steps, remove bottlenecks, standardize where it matters. ASCP has lab management resources.

5. Quality Control and Assurance: Participate in internal QC and external proficiency testing. Programs like UK NEQAS monitor performance.

6. Professional Development: Workshops, seminars, and peer networks keep skills sharp. The National Society for Histotechnology (NSH) is a reliable hub.

Focus on these and histology runs smoother, faster, cleaner.

How to Display Histopathology Skills on Your Resume

2. Grossing Techniques

Grossing means examining and preparing surgical specimens for histologic evaluation. Describe what you see, measure precisely, dissect thoughtfully, and sample representatively. It’s the blueprint for diagnosis.

Why It's Important

Right blocks in, right diagnosis out. Representative sections, accurate measurements, and solid descriptions shape downstream microscopy and patient care.

How to Improve Grossing Techniques Skills

Dial in discipline and ergonomics:

1. Standardize: Use consistent protocols and checklists. CAP’s templates and protocols set a sturdy floor.

2. Use the Right Tools: Sharp knives, clean boards, good rulers. Well-maintained instruments matter. Leica Biosystems and similar vendors outline maintenance tips.

3. Keep Learning: Webinars, workshops, and case-based refreshers. NSH offers practical training.

4. Ergonomics: Adjust bench height, use supportive mats and ergonomic tools. Reduce strain, improve stamina. OSHA’s guidance can steer setups.

5. QC and Peer Review: Periodically review dictations, photos, and block selection with peers. Small refinements add up.

How to Display Grossing Techniques Skills on Your Resume

3. Immunohistochemistry

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) detects specific antigens in tissue using labeled antibodies. It sharpens diagnoses, subtypes tumors, and maps protein expression where it lives.

Why It's Important

Because morphology sometimes whispers. IHC clarifies lineage, prognosis, and therapy targets by making biomarker signals visible and specific.

How to Improve Immunohistochemistry Skills

Small tweaks, big gains:

1. Optimize Fixation: Use 10% neutral buffered formalin with time matched to specimen size (often 6–48 hours). Avoid over- or underfixation to preserve antigenicity.

2. Antigen Retrieval: Choose heat-induced or enzymatic retrieval per target. Buffer, pH, and time matter.

3. Antibody Selection: Use well-validated clones and confirm compatibility with tissues and detection systems. Vendor datasheets and internal validation data help.

4. Titrate and Time: Determine optimal primary/secondary concentrations and incubation times to balance signal and background.

5. Controls Every Run: Positive and negative controls are non-negotiable.

6. Protocol Tuning: Adjust buffers, pH, and incubation conditions by tissue type and target. Small changes often unlock clean signal.

7. Equipment Care: Calibrate and maintain microtomes, ovens, incubators, and stainers to reduce artifacts.

8. Keep Learning: Track new clones, detection chemistries, and peer-reviewed best practices in journals like the Journal of Histochemistry & Cytochemistry.

Iterate, document, and lock in reproducibility.

How to Display Immunohistochemistry Skills on Your Resume

4. Autopsy Protocols

Standardized procedures for post-mortem examination. External exam, internal dissection, documentation, sampling—methodical from start to finish.

Why It's Important

Consistency safeguards accuracy. It underpins cause-of-death determination, clinical correlation, and medicolegal integrity.

How to Improve Autopsy Protocols Skills

1. Standardization: Use structured protocols and checklists. CAP resources are widely adopted.

2. Ongoing Training: The American Association of Pathologists’ Assistants (AAPA) provides education tailored to this work.

3. Quality Programs: Internal audits and adherence to standards from groups like the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) raise the bar.

4. Technology: Digital imaging, 3D reconstruction, and case management tools tighten documentation and review.

5. Safety: Strict biosafety, sharps safety, and ergonomics protocols. OSHA’s lab safety guidance applies here, too.

6. Communication: Regular case conferences and cross-discipline feedback sharpen findings and reports.

How to Display Autopsy Protocols Skills on Your Resume

5. Digital Pathology

Converting glass slides into whole-slide images for viewing, managing, sharing, and analyzing on a computer. Collaboration gets easier. Quantification gets smarter.

Why It's Important

It streamlines workflow, enables remote consults and education, and supports image analysis. Many systems now carry regulatory clearances for primary diagnosis, widening real-world adoption.

How to Improve Digital Pathology Skills

1. Image Quality: Use high-resolution scanners and verify color calibration and focus fidelity. Vendors like Leica Biosystems and Hamamatsu publish guidance on optimization.

2. Workflow Integration: Tie viewers and image management into your LIS to avoid swivel-chair work. Systems from LIS vendors (e.g., Sunquest) support hooks and APIs.

3. Training: Short, focused sessions on navigation, annotations, and measurement tools build speed quickly. The Digital Pathology Association curates education.

4. Collaboration: Platforms such as PathPresenter enable case sharing for second opinions and teaching.

5. Standards and QC: Establish SOPs for scanning, labeling, storage, and archival. CAP provides practice recommendations.

6. AI Assistance: Explore validated AI tools for quantification and triage. PathAI and others are active in this space.

How to Display Digital Pathology Skills on Your Resume

6. LIS (Laboratory Information System)

A Laboratory Information System manages orders, specimens, results, and records. For a Pathologist Assistant, it’s the nervous system for tracking work and preventing errors.

Why It's Important

Accurate data, fewer transcriptions, faster turnaround. Cleaner handoffs between instruments, clinicians, and pathology.

How to Improve LIS (Laboratory Information System) Skills

1. Streamline Data Entry: Use barcoding everywhere feasible. Add speech recognition where appropriate. Reduce free-text fields; prefer structured data.

2. Automation: Automate specimen tracking, reflex testing rules, and result notifications.

3. Integration: Ensure robust connections to EHR and PACS. Favor standards like HL7 v2, FHIR, LOINC, and SNOMED CT.

4. Analytics: Use dashboards for turnaround time, error rates, and workload balancing to drive continuous improvement.

5. Training: Regular refreshers and quick-reference guides reduce clicks and mistakes.

6. Security: Enforce role-based access, two-factor authentication, and audit trails. Keep HIPAA compliance front and center.

How to Display LIS (Laboratory Information System) Skills on Your Resume

7. Microtomy

Cutting thin tissue sections with a microtome for mounting on slides. Crisp ribbons, minimal chatter, clean edges—so the microscope tells the truth.

Why It's Important

High-quality sections enable accurate microscopic assessment. Poor sections hide pathology. Good ones reveal it.

How to Improve Microtomy Skills

1. Maintain Equipment: Clean, align, and service the microtome. Replace worn parts early. Leica Biosystems and other manufacturers provide maintenance guides.

2. Sharp Blades: Use high-quality, sharp blades suited to tissue type. Brands like Sakura Finetek offer dependable options.

3. Right Thickness: Adjust by tissue—commonly 4–5 µm for most, thinner or thicker as needed.

4. Temperature Control: Keep blocks and water baths at appropriate temperatures to prevent compression and wrinkles.

5. Practice and Training: Skill comes with repetition. ASCP and NSH provide courses and tips.

6. QC Your Sections: Review ribbons routinely, solicit peer feedback, and correct drift quickly.

How to Display Microtomy Skills on Your Resume

8. Cryosectioning

Preparing thin frozen sections using a cryostat. Essential for intraoperative consultations and for preserving features that formalin may alter.

Why It's Important

Speed matters in the OR. Frozen sections deliver near-immediate feedback that can change the surgical plan on the spot.

How to Improve Cryosectioning Skills

1. Tissue Preparation: Use fresh (unfixed) tissue unless a protocol calls for light fixation. Freeze rapidly—e.g., isopentane chilled by liquid nitrogen—to minimize ice crystals and artifact.

2. Instrument Setup: Keep the cryostat clean and at the right temperature (commonly −20°C to −30°C; adjust by tissue). Use a sharp, properly aligned blade. Follow manufacturer guidance (e.g., Thermo Fisher Scientific).

3. Mounting: Embed in OCT with correct orientation and complete support around the specimen to prevent distortion.

4. Sectioning Technique: Aim for 5–10 µm sections. Adjust temperature, blade angle, and cutting speed to counter tearing, curling, or chatter.

5. Troubleshooting: Modify temperature, replace blades, or alter cutting rhythm as issues arise. Keep a quick log of fixes that work for specific tissues.

6. Continual Learning: NSH, ASCP, and CAP resources provide technique refreshers and problem-solving tips.

How to Display Cryosectioning Skills on Your Resume

9. Specimen Photography

Capturing clear, consistent images of specimens before and after dissection. A visual record that supports diagnosis, teaching, and documentation.

Why It's Important

Photos freeze context: size, color, relationships, lesions in situ. They back up the gross description and aid later review.

How to Improve Specimen Photography Skills

1. Lighting: Use even, diffused light to avoid glare and harsh shadows. Ring lights or paired sources work well.

2. Background: Neutral, non-reflective backgrounds (gray or blue) boost contrast without distraction.

3. Camera Settings: A macro-capable lens, low ISO, and moderate aperture (around f/8–f/16) keep detail crisp.

4. Stability: Use a tripod or copy stand. Blur is the silent killer of detail.

5. Metadata and Scale: Include a scale bar, case ID, orientation markers, and timestamps when appropriate.

6. Post-processing: Minimal, honest adjustments to exposure, contrast, and sharpness. Tools like Adobe Lightroom make this straightforward.

How to Display Specimen Photography Skills on Your Resume

10. Molecular Diagnostics

Detection and analysis of nucleic acids (DNA/RNA) to diagnose disease, inform prognosis, and guide therapy. From PCR to next-generation sequencing, the molecular lens clarifies what morphology alone can’t.

Why It's Important

It enables targeted therapies, refines risk, and identifies minimal residual disease. Precision medicine starts here.

How to Improve Molecular Diagnostics Skills

1. Keep Learning: Follow the Association for Molecular Pathology and similar groups for updates on assays, validation, and reporting.

2. Adopt Modern Platforms: NGS panels, PCR-based assays, and—where validated—emerging CRISPR-based diagnostics for speed and sensitivity.

3. Quality Systems: Meet CLIA requirements, consider ISO 15189 frameworks, and run robust QC/QA with lot-to-lot checks and proficiency testing.

4. Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Work closely with bioinformatics, oncology, and genetics teams to interpret variants and craft actionable reports.

5. Workflow Optimization: Standardize pre-analytic handling (fixation, cold ischemia time), automate where possible, and validate turnaround goals with lean methods.

6. Confirm Critical Findings: Use orthogonal methods for low-frequency variants or unexpected results.

How to Display Molecular Diagnostics Skills on Your Resume

11. Quality Control

Systematic checks to ensure accuracy and reliability in specimen handling, processing, and testing. SOPs, checklists, equipment maintenance, and documentation all weave into the net.

Why It's Important

QC prevents errors from reaching patients. It protects credibility and anchors safe, effective care.

How to Improve Quality Control Skills

1. Standardize Protocols: Keep SOPs current and accessible. CAP checklists are a strong reference point.

2. Education: Regular refreshers via ASCP and internal competencies maintain readiness.

3. Equipment Calibration: Calibrate and maintain instruments on schedule. Log everything.

4. Double-Checks: Peer verification for critical steps (identity, blocks, labels, results) lowers risk.

5. QC Samples and PT: Run controls routinely and participate in proficiency testing.

6. Documentation and Review: Close the loop with periodic audits. Fix root causes, not just symptoms.

7. IQCP: Use an Individualized Quality Control Plan to tailor QC to your processes while staying compliant.

How to Display Quality Control Skills on Your Resume

12. Safety Compliance

Adhering to health and safety regulations in specimen handling, chemical use, equipment operation, and waste disposal. It’s everyone’s job, every shift.

Why It's Important

Protects staff and patients. Prevents injuries, exposures, and costly downtime. Culture of safety isn’t optional; it’s preventative medicine.

How to Improve Safety Compliance Skills

1. Education and Training: Routine onboarding and refreshers. Cover bloodborne pathogens, chemical hygiene, and biosafety basics.

2. Follow the Rulebook: Align with CAP, CLIA, and institutional policies. Maintain PPE standards, biosafety cabinet practices, and formaldehyde handling compliance.

3. Audits and Risk Assessments: Regular walk-throughs, hazard mapping, and corrective actions. Use CDC’s BMBL principles for lab biosafety levels.

4. Incident Reporting: Encourage rapid reporting of incidents and near misses. Analyze root causes and close action items quickly.

5. Continuous Improvement: Update SOPs, run drills, fit-test respirators when indicated, ensure sharps safety, and track metrics that matter.

How to Display Safety Compliance Skills on Your Resume