Certification in Histotechnology

Most laboratories in the United States require certification by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC) for working histotechnicians. The UND Histotechnician Program will prepare you to sit for the ASCP's HT Certification Examination. 

Histotechnician Entry Level Competencies

Description of Career Entry Competencies of the Histotechnician

At entry level, the Histotechnician will possess the following entry level competencies:

1. Receiving and accessioning tissue specimens;
2. Preparing tissue specimens for microscopic examinations, including all routine procedures;
3. Assisting with gross examination and frozen section procedures in histopathology;
4. Identifying tissue structures and their staining characteristics;
5. Performing preventive and corrective maintenance of equipment and instruments or referring to appropriate sources for repairs; 
6. Recognizing factors that affect procedures and results, and taking appropriate action within predetermined limits when corrections are indicated; 
7. Performing and monitoring quality control within predetermined limits;
8. Applying principles of safety; 
9. Demonstrating professional conduct and interpersonal communication skills with patients, laboratory personnel, other health care professionals, and with the public; 
10. Recognizing the responsibilities of other laboratory and healthcare professionals and interacting with them with respect for their jobs and patient care; 
11. Recognizing and acting upon individual needs for continuing education as a function of growth and maintenance of professional competence; and, 
12. Exercising principles of management, safety, and supervision, as the primary analyst making specimen oriented decisions on predetermined criteria, including a working knowledge of criteria values. Communications skills will extend to frequent interactions with members of the healthcare team, external relations, customer service, and patient education. The levels of analysis range from routine tissue processing to complex histopathology laboratory procedures in the various major areas of anatomic pathology. The histotechnician will have diverse functions in areas of pre‐analytic, analytic, and post‐analytic processes. The histotechnician will have responsibilities for information processing, training, and quality control monitoring wherever histologic procedures are performed. 

Source: "NAACLS Standards for Accredited and Approved Programs" (National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences - NAACLS), p. 31-33.