Pathology Assistants?

Katatonic said:

I'm a Pre-Med student and can't really find this information anywhere (including AAPA so I'm stumped). Do all Pathology Assistant positions recquire the M.S. degree, or are some based on an On-the-job training only model? It would seem you'd have to have the M.S. degree but I've heard that it's not always true, does anyone here have any insight about the recquirements for this profession?

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There used to be on the job 'training' so people could work they way up from non-PA to PA. That no longer exists. PA's mus get special training now.

Are there any programs to be a PA (or similar) besides like 7 or so mentioned on the NAACLS website?

http://www.pathologistsassistants.org/Default.aspx?m=1028&s=119

A friend of mine is interested in autopsy type stuff, considering a forensic science program with autopsy focus and things of that nature. I am trying to think of the other options for being interested in autopsy. I would think PA is a good career choice. Any thoughts?

And before we start putting the finger-air-quotes around "friend," yes this is an actual friend. I am a 4th year med student applying now, as evidenced by the obsessive interview discussion.

There really are only a few PA programs and all of them seem to be rather east coast. I think Chicago is the farthest west....?

Texas has several excellent PA programs...

SEVERAL... but beware.... should you choose to come to Texas you may find it addictive and get sucked into the gravitational pull and never have the strength to leave again...

When I interviewed at Hopkins, I believe they said they had a PA school... or one was in the Baltimore area. In anycase, they have PA students that rotate through their gross room...

BH

The PA program in Baltimore is at the University of Maryland Medical Center. The students rotate down here as well, and if you bribe our head PA with enough beer they gross for you as a cheif resident.