Lead Histologist: Drive Precision in Tissue Diagnostics

MedStar Health; Clinton (MD); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

MedStar Health is seeking a Lead Histologist to provide technical direction to technicians and technologists in histology, while ensuring quality control, safety, and regulatory compliance. The role involves coordinating schedules, educating staff, and guiding procedures across the department.

Ideal candidates have an associate degree in a related field, 5–7 years of experience, and ASCP HT/HTL certification or equivalent.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree required
• Bachelor's degree preferred
• 5-7 years minimum of progressively more responsible job-related experience preferred
• One year of relevant professional-level work experience may be substituted for one year of required education.

Responsibilities

• Assigns employees to duties and oversees performance and education in Histology. Coordinates technician work schedules.
• Instructs new employees students and residents. Orients new employees to section policies and procedures.
• Accessions surgical specimen. Evaluates and cuts surgical specimen of certain defined types for histology processing. Performs and reviews computer operations involving specimen accessioning slide preparation and quality control.
• Serves as a technical resource to evaluate and solve histology specimen and processing problems. Ensures procedures for process deviations and rejection of specimens are followed.
• Writes and updates histology procedures and participates in improving histology techniques. Evaluates new techniques instruments and procedures as required. Ensures compliance with accreditation standards regulatory and inspection requirements. Serves as an inspector for an internal CAP inspection or participates in inspection preparedness.
• Evaluates normal and abnormal tissue types. Embeds and orients tissue specimen for microscopic evaluation. Identifies and resolves problems in the automated tissue processing cycle.
• Prepares reagents. Prepares paraffin sections on routine and difficult cases and solves related problems. Assists Histotechnologists with difficult sectioning cases.
• Performs assesses and reviews the quality of routine hematoxylin and eosin staining and special stains on surgical and autopsy slides. Troubleshoots staining procedures and implements corrective action as necessary.
• Performs reviews and documents daily quality control and corrective action initiated when quality control results exceed tolerance limits.
• Provides direction in the preparation of decalcified bone tissue.
• Performs and reviews preventive and corrective maintenance of equipment and instruments. Maintains appropriate records.
• Performs send out testing to reference laboratories and shared testing to other MedStar hospitals. Monitors pending log and mails reports as needed.
• Answers questions and resolves complaints from pathologists physicians and nursing units. Takes appropriate steps to resolve customer service problems according to established department protocol.
• Provides input into employee performance appraisals and assures that staff complies with hospital and departmental policies and practices.
• Participates in meetings and on committees and represents the department and hospital in community outreach efforts.
• Participates in multi-disciplinary quality and service improvement teams.

Skills

Histology knowledge

Problem solving

Verbal and written communication

Basic computer skills

Education

Associate's degree in Chemical Physical Biological Clinical Laboratory Science or related fields

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Physical Biological Clinical Laboratory Science or related fields

Job description

MedStar Health is seeking a Lead Histologist to provide technical direction to technicians and technologists in histology, while ensuring quality control, safety, and regulatory compliance. The role involves coordinating schedules, educating staff, and guiding procedures across the department.

Ideal candidates have an associate degree in a related field, 5–7 years of experience, and ASCP HT/HTL certification or equivalent.