The Pathologists' Assistant (PathA) program at Drexel University College of Medicine offers traditional and non-traditional students the opportunity to train in the highly specialized field of anatomic pathology and earn a Master of Science degree. The two-year, full-time program begins in May of each year. The first year is the didactic portion of the program, supplemented by laboratory exposure. The Gross Anatomy Lab at the Drexel University Health Sciences Building is a central location for students to immerse themselves in anatomy using various hands-on cadaveric and virtual learning tools and spaces. The second year is the clinical education portion of the program, composed of several hospital-based rotations offering progressively responsible experience in autopsy pathology, forensic pathology pediatric pathology and surgical pathology. These rotations are supplemented with informal classroom education and examinations conducted monthly at the University.
Academic and Personal Counseling
The Center for Learning and Academic Success Services (CLASS) supports Pathologists' Assistant program students' by providing coaching to improve academic skills such as time management, study skills, and test taking strategies. The following services are offered:
Personal Counseling
The Office of Counseling and Health Services supports Pathologists' Assistant program students' needs from matriculation to graduation. The following services are offered:
The courses offered during the first year of the PathA program gave me the knowledge needed during my career as a Pathologists' Assistant. But I think the best part of the PathA program is that I was able to exercise that knowledge with hands on training at multiple clinical rotation sites. It is one thing to read about how to gross a specimen from a textbook, but it is another thing to actually do it, and to do it correctly. I was well prepared to enter the world as a PA right after graduation.
Quintina Herrera, MS, PA (ASCP)
Class of 2010
- Group Counseling
- Individual and Relationship Counseling
- Wellness Workshops
- Couples Counseling
- Outreach Programs
- Consultations
- Referrals
Successful Completion of the Pathologists' Assistant Program
To graduate with a Master of Science from the Pathologists' Assistant program, candidates must successfully complete a minimum of 91 semester credit hours with at least a 3.0 overall GPA.
Program Level Outcomes
Graduates of the Master of Science in Pathologists' Assistant program will achieve seven program level outcomes that describe the skills, competencies and knowledge gained through completion of the program curriculum.
- Demonstrate the ability to prepare, describe and dissect human tissue surgical specimens including appropriate specimen accessioning, describing gross anatomic features, preparing tissues for histologic processing and photographing all pertinent gross findings
- Demonstrate the ability to perform duties relating to the administrative maintenance of surgical pathology protocols, reports and data and assuring the completion of specimen coding and billing
- Demonstrate laboratory maintenance skills including assuring proper maintenance of equipment, provision of adequate supplies, and cleanliness of the surgical pathology suite
- Demonstrate knowledge of the procedures associated with the preparation of human postmortem examinations including ascertaining proper legal authorization for autopsy, retrieving the patient's medical chart and other pertinent data for review with the attending pathologist(s); and coordinating any requests for special specimen sampling
- Demonstrate the ability to perform postmortem examinations which may include: external examination; in situ organ inspection; evisceration; dissection and dictation or recording of data, as well as selecting, preparing and submitting appropriate gross tissue sections for analysis
- Demonstrate the ability to maintain anatomic pathology protocols; photographic and microscopic slides; and complete coding of samples
- Demonstrate the ability to perform basic administrative, budgetary, supervisory and teaching duties
Contact Information
How to apply to the Pathologists' Assistant program
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