Admissions
The next application cycle for the Class of 2028 will be open from January 1, 2026 鈥� May 31, 2026. Please review the following updates and important details for this cycle:
- Increased Shadowing Requirement: Applicants must complete a minimum of 12 hours direct observation of a Pathologists鈥� Assistant in surgical pathology. Additional details about the shadowing requirements are outlined below.
- Updated Personal Statement Prompt: The prompt has been revised; see the updated version below.
- All completed applications received during the application cycle will be reviewed. All application materials, including transcripts, must be received by the application deadline.
- Select applicants will be invited to participate in a brief pre-interview screening via Microsoft Teams.
- Top applicants will be invited for an in-person interview at the UTHSC Campus in Memphis during June and July. No on-campus interviews will be scheduled until after the application deadline (May 31st).
- All applicants will be notified of their admissions status by August 30, 2026.
- We anticipate admitting 14 students to begin the program in January 2027.
Please note the following change to the application cycle opening in January 2027, which includes an additional prerequisite requirement:
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Applicants must complete a total of 6 credit hours in Anatomy and/or Physiology, which should include:
- A Human Anatomy course AND a Human Physiology course; OR
- A sequence of combined courses: Human Anatomy & Physiology I AND Human Anatomy & Physiology II.
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All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for admissions in the UT Health Science Center Pathologists鈥� Assistant Program without regard to race, color, religion, sex, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. For more information, please visit our Access and Compliance webpage.听
To be eligible for consideration for admission into the Pathologists鈥� Assistant program, applicants must meet the following requirements:听
- A bachelor鈥檚 degree (BS or BA) from an accredited U.S. or Canadian undergraduate institution:听
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended must be submitted. It is recommended to submit transcripts well ahead of the deadline to ensure they are received and verified by the application deadline.听
- All required pre-requisite courses (see below) must be completed by the application
deadline and included on official transcripts.听
- 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听
- 14 semester hours of Chemistry coursework with laboratory (examples include introductory/general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, etc.)听
- 4 semester hours of Microbiology with laboratory听
- 3 semester hours of Human Anatomy and/or Human Physiology
- 3 semester hours of College Algebra or higher听
- 3 semester hours of English Composition or comparable听
- NOTE: Advanced Placement credits are not accepted towards pre-requisite requirements.
- Read through the Technical Standards and attest to the ability to meet them with or without accommodations.听
- Shadowing experience:听听
- 12 hours minimum of gross room shadowing experience with a Pathologists' Assistant (preferably ASCP certified) is required. Grossing experience will not be accepted in lieu of shadowing.听
- Autopsy shadowing experience is strongly recommended. Preference may be given to applicants who have completed autopsy shadowing.听
- Applicants are required to complete Shadowing Forms听to document their surgical and
autopsy shadowing experiences and upload them into their application.听Incomplete forms
will not be accepted.
- Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to the student鈥檚 intellectual
ability, work ethic, and professionalism. Applicants will provide the recommender's
contact information within the application.
- Submit a personal statement (approximately 500鈥�750 words) that addresses the following:听听
- What inspired you to pursue a career as a Pathologists鈥� Assistant?听听
- Describe a specific academic, research, or professional experience that influenced your decision to apply to this field and to UTHSC in particular.听听
- Why do you believe the UTHSC Pathologists鈥� Assistant Program is the right fit for
your educational and professional goals?听听
- Upload a copy of their CV/Resume.听
- All components of the application, including transcripts, must be received by the application deadline.
The following courses are not required for admission; however, these courses will enhance the applicant鈥檚 success in the Pathologists鈥� Assistant program and strengthen the application:听
- Embryology听
- Histology/Microanatomy听
- Genetics听
- Immunology听
- Cancer or other pathology related courses听
If an applicant accepts a position in the program:听
- A $75 application fee will be applied to student account听
- There is a $200 non-refundable holding fee to guarantee a spot in the program. This fee will be credited towards tuition and fees.听
Before Submitting Your Application:听
- Ensure you meet all of the minimum requirements as listed above.听
- Ensure you have filled out all of the application to its fullest extent, including academic history, experiences (work history, shadowing), prerequisite coursework, and uploaded all required documents. Failure to complete all components of the application may result in either a rejected application, or an inability to accurately score your application.听听
- Carefully follow the instructions for ordering transcripts to ensure they are received correctly and posted to your application. Transcripts sent by email will not be accepted. All components of the application, including transcripts, must be received by the application deadline. To ensure ample time to allow transcripts to arrive and be processed, it is recommended to order them no later than 3 weeks ahead of the application deadline if ordering electronically, or earlier if by mail. We will not be able to process transcripts received after the application deadline (May 31st).听听
- Upon submission of an application, it is the applicant's responsibility to follow up on pending items, including official transcripts and evaluations, to ensure they are received before the application deadline. Incomplete applications will not be evaluated.听
For admission to the Pathologists鈥� Assistant program at UTHSC, students are expected to be able to successfully meet the Technical Standards outlined below. Applicants are required to sign the Technical Standards Commitment form indicating their understanding and ability to meet these standards either with or without accommodations (for persons with documented disabilities). Any questions about these technical standards should be directed to the program director.
UTHSC receives applications from a diverse body of potential students including those with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to help students meet these technical standards when appropriate, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Any student wishing accommodations should contact the Disability Services for further information. Information regarding accommodations can be found on the Disability Services web page or email Keri Snyder.
In the event a student cannot fulfill these Technical Standards with or without reasonable accommodations at any time in the program, the student will be ineligible for admission or continued enrollment in the program. In addition to ensuring that students can meet the intellectual, emotional and physical criteria, it should also be noted that of utmost importance is the student鈥檚 ability to provide for the welfare and safety of their patients. This is the foundation of all Technical Standards and if this cannot be done, the student is unable to meet the criteria outlined by the Technical Standards.
Once enrolled in the Pathologists鈥� Assistant Program, students must meet the requirements of the curriculum, including the demonstration of the skills described herein for the Program in order to progress through the curriculum and to graduate.
- Ability to acquire information developed through didactic instruction, independent learning, clinical experience, and consultation
- Ability to complete written assignments and maintain written records
- Ability to perform duties and assignments in a timely fashion while under stress and in a variety of settings
- Ability to remain alert and concentrate for extended periods of time
- Ability to sit or stand for long periods of time while working at a gross bench
- Ability to understand reading assignments and to search and evaluate the literature
- Ability to use a computer for instructional assignments and patient care activities
- Possess organizational skills and be able to solve one or more problems within specific time frames which are often short
- Possess sufficient stamina to tolerate physically taxing workloads
- Visual acuity (corrected to 20/40); visual perception with respect to depth and the ability to differentiate between all colors
- Ability to discriminate fine details and structures in objects
- Ability to observe demonstrations and participate in laboratory experiments
- Visual acuity (corrected to 20/40); visual perception with respect to depth and color
- Ability to grasp, pinch, push, pull, hold, extend, rotate, and cut
- Ability to manipulate, cut or control small objects such as tissues with forceps, scissors, and scalpels
- Dexterity with both wrists, hands and arms, and dexterity will all fingers
- Possess eye-hand coordination and ability to accurately judge distance and depth
- Possess sufficient motor function to operate/manipulate and maintain a microscope, and other laboratory instruments or equipment including computers
- Possess the ability dissect surgical specimens and prepare tissues for the microscopic examination to include the preparation of frozen and permanent sections for light, electron and immunofluorescent microscopy.
- Possess the motor skills necessary to perform the postmortem examinations to include the prosection, selection and preparation of tissues for examination
- Ability to communicate in English in oral and written form
- Ability to participate in discussion in the classroom, the clinical arena and with colleagues and patients
- Ability to adhere to safety guidelines for self and others
- Ability to comply with standards and regulations required by external agencies
- Ability to delegate responsibilities appropriately and supervise others
- Ability to follow instructions/procedures with accuracy and precision
- Ability to function as part of a team through communication, consultation, negotiation, and sharing
- Ability to learn and exhibit professional attributes
- Ability to maintain intellectual and emotional stability and maturity under stress, while also maintaining appropriate performance standards
- Ability to manage time, organize workload, and meet deadlines
- Ability to adapt to a variety of patient care situations, including crises
- Ability to make sound judgments and formulate diagnoses after correlating clinical data with laboratory findings
- Ability to obtain and/or verify patient samples
- Ability to prioritize and perform laboratory testing
- Ability to troubleshoot instrumentation problems and resolve staining inconsistencies
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