The Histotechnology program within the Department of Medical Laboratory Science offers a bachelor degree program as an opportunity for those with 60 hours of specific college credit to gain entry-level training and education in histotechnology.
Histotechnology centers on the detection of tissue abnormalities and the treatment for the diseases causing the abnormalities. The histotechnologist processes and prepares human and animal tissues with dyes and chemicals so tissues can be evaluated microscopically. The stained tissues can lead to routine and special identification of bacteria, fungi, cancer, and tissue structure abnormalities for pathological diagnosis.
The histotechnologist performs standardized lab tests that include tissue fixation, processing, embedding, sectioning, and staining. These tasks require the histotechnologist to be patient, attentive to detail and to have a knowledge of anatomy, pathology, physiology, microbiology, immunology, molecular biology and chemistry.
Employment opportunities in the histotechnology field continue to grow. Most often histotechnologists work in anatomic pathology laboratories within hospitals and clinics. However, careers also exist in pharmaceutical, veterinary, biomedical and academic laboratories.
About the program
Histotechnology offers its bachelor degree program across five semesters (22 months) of academic and clinical education. Students learn standardized lab skills and methods, such as tissue fixation, processing, embedding, sectioning and staining, necessary to become a histotechnologist.
Following satisfactory completion of all requirements, students will be awarded the bachelor of science in histotechnology (BSHTL) degree from the University of Mississippi. Graduates are eligible to apply to take the national certification examination to become certified as a histotechnologist.
Important dates
- July 1 - Applications open
- April 1 - Application deadline for fall admission
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