Surgical Pathology Technician

UPMC; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

UPMC St. Margaret is seeking a Surgical Pathology Technician to join our pathology team. You will help process and prepare surgical pathology specimens to support accurate diagnostic testing across our health system.

This Monday through Friday daylight role offers a stable schedule with no weekends, holidays, travel, or on-call duties, enabling you to gain specialized experience in a hospital laboratory setting.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree in a laboratory science and 2 years of hospital laboratory experience.
• Bachelor's degree in biology or related health sciences with 1 year of hospital laboratory experience preferred.
• Knowledge of medical terminology and LIS experience preferred.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Attend mandatory safety, compliance and other meetings as required by laboratory and hospital guidelines.
• Examine and prepare surgical biopsy specimens for microscopic evaluation with gross description.
• Provide accurate gross descriptions and record-keeping for cases.
• Handle and process specimens with proper fixation, radiography, photography, and special handling as needed.
• Maintain records of equipment, supplies, and logs; ensure proper operation and maintenance of area equipment.
• Verify patient identifiers on requisitions, reject conflicting or inadequate identifiers, and associate patient history with specimen type.
• Accession specimens in LIS; document discrepancies and resolutions in the system.
• Perform clerical tasks including ordering supplies and maintaining adequate stock.
• Participate in in-services, lectures, and training classes.

Skills

Communication

Education

Associate's degree in laboratory science

Bachelor's degree in biology or related health sciences

Tools

LIS

Job description

Looking for an opportunity to work behind the scenes of patient care while building your laboratory career?

UPMC St. Margaret is seeking a Surgical Pathology Technician to join our pathology team. In this role, you'll play an important part in the processing and preparation of surgical pathology specimens, supporting accurate and timely diagnostic testing for patients across our health system.

This Monday through Friday daylight position offers a consistent schedule with no weekends, holidays, travel, or on-call responsibilities, providing excellent work-life balance while allowing you to gain valuable experience in a specialized laboratory setting.

Responsibilities

• Attend mandatory safety, compliance and other meetings required by laboratory and hospital guidelines.
• Examine and prepare surgical biopsy specimens for microscopic evaluation by providing gross description of each case as defined by the Surgical Pathology Manual while maintaining accurate records of all activities.
• Consistently provide an accurate gross description of surgical specimens as recorded in case report for pathologist.
• Perform additional special specimen handling radiography, photography, special fixation, etc.
• File and retrieve surgical and autopsy materials and maintain accurate records of all such activities.
• Maintain record logs for the equipment.
• Replenish supplies for physicians' offices.
• Ensure proper operation, repair and replacement, and preventative maintenance of area equipment and tools.
• Verify complete and accurate patient identification on specimen requisition and container and reject specimens with conflicting/inadequate patient identifiers.
• Correlate patient history with specimen type and consult admitting clinician with conflicts.
• Utilize voice recognition software during documentation of specimen gross appearance.
• Receive, sort, and verify patient identifiers as cases are accessioned with bar coded labels.
• Perform proper handling, storage and disposition of all surgical and autopsy tissue while adhering to the regulatory and compliance standards regarding biohazard and safety.
• Document discrepancy and resolution in APLIS.
• Perform clerical/computer entry functions including ordering departmental supplies and maintaining adequate stock.
• Attend in-services, lectures, and training classes, as required.
• Receive and accession specimens in LIS.
• Associate's degree in a laboratory science AND 2 years of hospital laboratory experience;
• OR Bachelor's degree in biology or related health sciences required AND 1 year of hospital laboratory experience preferred.
• Knowledge of medical terminology and laboratory information system experience preferred.
• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with all age groups and populations of external and internal customers as well as co-workers both by telephone and in-person.

Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances

• Act 34

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran