Program Overview

---

Introduction to the Pathologists' Assistant Program

The Pathologists' Assistant program at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) is a professional entry-level master's degree program that culminates in the awarding of a Master's of Health Science (MHS) in Pathologists' Assistant degree. This program is designed to prepare students for the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification exam.

Mission Statement

The mission of the UT Health Science Center Pathologists' Assistant program is to produce proficient entry-level Pathologists' Assistants. Graduates will be equipped with the expertise demanded by the profession, enabling them to transition into roles within the gross room, autopsy suite, laboratory management, research, forensics, and education.

What is a Pathologists' Assistant?

A pathologists' assistant (PA) is a highly trained allied health professional who provides various services under the direction and supervision of a pathologist. Pathologists' assistants interact with pathologists in a manner similar to physician's assistants in surgical and medical practice, carrying out their duties under the direction of their physicians.

Program Overview

The UTHSC Pathologists' Assistant program is a 24-month program divided into 12 months of didactic coursework and 12 months of clinical experience. The program is seeking national accreditation by the National Accreditation Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) and had their Initial Application approved in May 2023.

What Makes the UTHSC Pathologists' Assistant Program Unique?

• The UT Health Science Center has provided the Pathologists' Assistant program with a program-specific training space for the hands-on instruction of anatomical grossing techniques and frozen section.
• All didactic coursework is taught by ASCP certified and NAACLS program-trained Pathologists' Assistants.
• The program's faculty received training from different training programs, providing a varied input into the curriculum.
• 8 months of surgical and autopsy pathology didactic instruction during the first year of the program, including hands-on instruction in the Anatomic Pathology Gross Training Laboratory.
• Extensive hands-on training in the human anatomy cadaver lab taught by Pathologists' Assistant faculty members, with low student to cadaver ratios.
• First-year students must display competency at cutting frozen sections prior to clinical rotations.
• All second-year students will receive a minimum of 48-weeks of different clinical rotations in surgical and autopsy pathology.
• Second-year forensic medical examiner clinical rotation for all students.

Curriculum

The Pathologists' Assistant program curriculum at UTHSC reflects the breadth, depth, theory, and practice appropriate for, and beyond that of an entry-level Pathologists' Assistant. The program is comprised of 76 total credits and the sequential coursework is as follows:

First-Year Courses

• Term 1: 24 credit hours
  • Human Anatomy for Pathologists' Assistants (MSPA 511) 6 credit hours
  • Human Physiology for Pathologists' Assistants (MSPA 515) 3 credit hours
  • Human Embryology for Pathologists' Assistants (MSPA 516) 2 credit hours
  • Microanatomy (MSPA 521) 4 credit hours
  • Introduction to Surgical and Autopsy Pathology I (MSPA 523) 2 credit hours
  • Foundations of Pathology I (MSPA 524) 3 credit hours
  • Seminar I (MSPA 514) 3 credit hours
• Term 2: 19 credit hours
  • Introduction to Surgical and Autopsy Pathology II (MSPA 535) 2 credit hours
  • Foundations of Pathology II (MSPA 536) 3 credit hours
  • Advanced Surgical and Autopsy Pathology (MSPA 541) 4 credit hours
  • Foundations of Pathology III (MSPA 540) - 6 credit hours
  • Histopathology (MSPA 532) 2 credit hours
  • Seminar II (MSPA 534) 3 credit hours

Second-Year Courses

• Term 1: 16 credit hours
  • Pathologists' Assistant Practicum I (MSPA 613) - 13 credit hours
  • Pathology Review I (MSPA 614) - 3 credit hours
• Term 2: 17 credit hours
  • Pathologists' Assistant Practicum II (MSPA 622) - 14 credit hours
  • Pathology Review II (MSPA 623) - 3 credit hours

Program Goals

Students will be able to:

• Perform anatomic pathology techniques for the preparation, gross description, and dissection of human surgical tissue specimens.
• Demonstrate and perform the appropriate non-forensic and forensic autopsy techniques for the recovery, preparation, evisceration, gross description and dissection of human organs and tissue specimens.
• Demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing and exhibit professional behavior.
• Demonstrate the ability to manage a pathology laboratory and autopsy service.
• Display an understanding of teaching pedagogy and an ability to clinically train other anatomic pathology healthcare professionals.

Clinical Experience

Students will experience clinical work in various settings, including anatomic pathology, surgical pathology, pediatric pathology, and forensic pathology.

Current Clinical Affiliates

• American Esoteric Laboratories (Memphis, TN)
• Baptist Healthcare (Memphis, TN)
• Methodist University Hospital (Memphis, TN)
• Mississippi Baptist Medical Center (Jackson, MS)
• Northwestern Memorial Hospital (Chicago, IL)
• PathGroup (Nashville, TN)
• Regional One Hospital (Memphis, TN)
• UT DermPath (Memphis, TN)
• University of Tennessee Medical Center (Knoxville, TN)
• West Tennessee Healthcare (Jackson, TN)
• West Tennessee Regional Forensic Center, Office of the Medical Examiner (Memphis, TN)

Graduate Entry-Level Competencies

As a program seeking accreditation by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), the UT Health Science Center Pathologists' Assistant Program abides by the standards established by NAACLS to train its students to possess the following entry-level competencies by graduation:

• Surgical Pathology
• Autopsy Pathology
• Administrative Duties

Admissions

The next application cycle for the Class of 2028 will be open from January 1, 2026 May 31, 2026.

Admission Requirements

• A bachelor's degree (BS or BA) from an accredited U.S. or Canadian undergraduate institution.
• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended must be submitted.
• A recommended minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a recommended minimum pre-requisite GPA of 3.0.
• Completion of the following prerequisite courses with a grade of C (2.0) or higher:
  • 8 semester hours of Biology coursework with laboratory
  • 14 semester hours of Chemistry coursework with laboratory
  • 4 semester hours of Microbiology with laboratory
  • 3 semester hours of Human Anatomy and/or Human Physiology
  • 3 semester hours of College Algebra or higher
  • 3 semester hours of English Composition or comparable
• Shadowing experience: 12 hours minimum of gross room shadowing experience with a Pathologists' Assistant.
• Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to the student's intellectual ability, work ethic, and professionalism.
• Submit a personal statement (approximately 500750 words) that addresses the following:
  • What inspired you to pursue a career as a Pathologists' Assistant?
  • Describe a specific academic, research, or professional experience that influenced your decision to apply to this field and to UTHSC in particular.
  • Why do you believe the UTHSC Pathologists' Assistant Program is the right fit for your educational and professional goals?

Tuition and Financial Aid

The UTHSC Pathologists' Assistant program is a two-year master's level program divided into a didactic first year and a clinical rotation second year. Each year is divided into two 6-month terms.

Estimated Cost of Attendance

• In-State Residency: $56,058.00
• Out-of-State Residency: $68,562.00

Additional Information

Through the Southern Regional Education Board's (SREB) Academic Common Market, students residing in certain states without Pathologists' Assistant programs may be eligible for in-state tuition. These states include AL, AR, DE, FL, GA, KY, MS, and OK. For more information on the Academic Common Market, visit the SREB website.