Pathologists' assistant

A pathologists’ assistant (PA) is a physician extender whose expertise lies in gross examination of surgical specimens as well as performing forensic, medicolegal, and hospital autopsies. Salaries for new graduates range from $80,000 to $120,000 with experienced pathologists' assistants earning $100,000 or more annually.

PA’s work under the direct supervision of a board certified anatomical pathologist, who ultimately renders a diagnosis based on the PA’s detailed gross description and/or tissue submission. Requirements to become a pathologists’ assistant include graduation from a National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) accredited education program and/or successfully passing the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) certification exam. With ongoing changes in health care, a growing elderly population, and a decreasing number of pathology residents, the PA is in high demand due to their high level of training and contribution to the overall efficiency of the pathology laboratory.

In addition to the major responsibilities outlined above, a pathologists’ assistant may also perform following tasks (for a complete list, refer to Article III, Section B of the AAPA Bylaws):

While many PA’s are employed in hospitals, they may also gain employment in private pathology laboratories/groups, medical examiner's offices, morgues, government or reference laboratories, or universities, and may be self-employed and provide contract work. According to a study published in Autonomic Pathology, PAs perform gross examinations on 56.5% of the total number of specimens submitted industry-wide, with a majority being biopsies.(needs citation)

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