Indiana University School of Medicine offers three online program options to earn an associate of science degree or a certificate in histotechnology.
What is histotechnology?
Histotechnology is a science-based profession aimed to assist pathologists with the diagnosis of disease on biologic samples from patients. This technology integrates biology, chemistry, histochemistry, immunology, and molecular biology in order to identify cell and tissue types as well as microorganisms, pigments, and antigens. Histotechnologists perform testing procedures that may include tissue/dye reaction, enzyme histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization and electron microscopy. They must be meticulous, accurate experts in the handling and preparation of tissues, as many of the samples they work with cannot be replaced.
Working as a histotechnician
Job openings for qualified histotechnicians can be found throughout the United States in hospitals, clinics, specialty labs (including dermatopathology and urology), pharmaceutical, industrial and medical research companies, veterinary pathology groups, marine biology teams and forensic pathology labs.
Histotechnicians have diverse functions in areas of pre‐analytic, analytic and post‐analytic processes and also have responsibilities for information processing, training and quality control monitoring wherever histologic procedures are performed.
Communications skills extend to frequent interactions with members of the health care team, external relations, customer service and patient education. The levels of analysis range from routine tissue processing to complex histopathology.
Offering options that work for you
The online distance education program in histotechnology functions as a cooperative effort between IU School of Medicine and the student’s qualifying histology laboratory. The program offers options for three types of applicants.