Pathology Aide (multiple positions)
Opportunities for Aspiring Healthcare Professionals
Hospital Pathology Associates (HPA) provides pathology services to Allina hospitals in Minnesota and Wisconsin. As the largest private pathology group in Minnesota and one of the largest in the upper Midwest, HPA is an ensemble of seasoned pathologists and professional staff with a wide range of expertise not often found elsewhere. Several years ago, HPA introduced a new position in their healthcare team to streamline workflow: the pathology aide. The pathology aide plays a key role in allowing pathologists to focus on diagnosing cases and enhancing patient care.
For recent college graduates who are aspiring to become physicians or other healthcare professionals, few experiences are more valuable than serving as a pathology aide. Being a pathology aide provides hands-on experience in a medical setting and allows recent graduates to begin a career in medicine. Working alongside accomplished pathologists and other healthcare professionals at HPA offers a unique perspective into the responsibilities and challenges physicians face on a daily basis. As an active member of the healthcare team, pathology aides gain valuable exposure to medicine and make a positive contribution to the daily operations of a medical facility. In sum, the pathology aide position is a one-year, full-time commitment for aspiring healthcare professionals and is the connection graduates need to gain a valuable healthcare experience!
Details:
Full-time employment from early June 2024 to end of June 2025
Competitive wage of $20/hour
Health insurance, benefits, and paid time off
Three weeks of on-site training
Free Parking
HPA is offering several different pathology aide positions, which are listed below. To submit an application please send the following materials to HPA-EC@allina.com:
Cover Letter (please rank your top three position preferences from 1 to 3 in a numbered list, then use your cover letter to explain why you should be selected for the position you ranked as #1)
Resume
Unofficial transcript
All applications must be submitted by Monday, February 19th. You will be notified by mid February if you have been selected to interview. If chosen for an interview, applicants will be expected to complete an interview late February or early March. The interview will consist of a series of short interviews with pathologists and the current pathology aides. If the circumstances allow, we will invite you to come in-person into HPA’s Abbott Northwestern Hospital campus in Minneapolis (2800 10th Ave S Suite 2200, Mpls, MN 55407) to complete this interview.
Education Coordinator (1 position available)
The Hospital Pathology Associates (HPA) Education Coordinator organizes and prepares HPA-staffed multidisciplinary patient care-planning conferences for Allina and other participating institutions. Additionally, the Education Coordinator works closely with pathologists on projects and tasks on an as-needed basis and coordinates HPA review of medical literature and publications.
Specific duties:
Arrives at 8:00 AM and typically departs around 4:00 PM
Coordinates and prepares the materials needed for disease-treatment conferences for HPA pathologists
Collaborates with pathologists and various hospital administrators on a daily basis
Assists with other educational projects as needed
Coordinates HPA review of medical literature and publications
Assists other pathology aides as needed
Prerequisites and required skills:
4-year undergraduate degree or 2-year associate’s degree with the intention of applying to graduate or medical school
Highly proficient with computers and technology (specifically with Microsoft Office applications)
Strong communication and administrative skills
Ability to problem solve and manage time efficiently
High-level of enthusiasm and client-service orientation
Manage multiple ongoing projects
Organized and detailed-oriented
Quality Assurance Assistant (1 position available)
The Hospital Pathology Associates (HPA) Quality Assurance (QA) Assistant serves a key role by directly supporting the QA program at HPA. This includes managing information, coordinating communication, and analyzing case and materials data from the hospital and physician office practices. This position works directly with the QA Pathologist and QA Coordinator to help oversee the lean projects and quality initiatives for the group.
Specific duties:
Time flexible (suggestion of 8:00 AM arrival and departing around 4:00 PM, but variable)
Collect, analyze, and present large amounts of data via Excel and electronic medical records (EPIC) for QA purposes and by individual pathologist request
Work directly with HPA QA Pathologist and QA Supervisor to assist with quality improvement and miscellaneous research projects
Assist other pathology aides as needed
Project Work Examples: collect data for pathology subspecialties concerning diagnostic rates/outcomes, run EPIC reports to find specific data (e.g., certain diagnoses or specimens), updating internal practice resources, etc.
Assist pathologists with outreach and telepathology scheduling
Prerequisites and required skills:
4-year undergraduate degree or 2-year associate degree with the intention of applying to graduate or medical school
Self-motivated, organized, detail-oriented
Extremely proficient in Excel; able to collect and analyze data efficiently
General computer literacy
Strong communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills
Ability to keep a detailed and up-to-date project list
Ability to learn processes quickly and manage time efficiently
Active listener and astute observer
Workflow Coordinators (Several positions available)
The Hospital Pathology Associates (HPA) Workflow Coordinators serve as the primary organizers and distributers of glass slides emanating from the Allina Histology, Cytology, and Hematology laboratories. After receiving the slides, the Workflow Coordinators organize, prioritize, and distribute the cases to pathologists in order to facilitate an orderly and efficient workflow using “Lean” processing principles. The position involves exhaustive review of electronic medical records and familiarity with medical terminology, as the Workflow Coordinators gather the relevant information a pathologist would need to properly diagnose a case. Additionally, the Workflow Coordinators will occasionally work on special projects and assist the Education Coordinator.
Specific duties:
Typical shift hours (one worker per each shift)
Arrives at 5:00 AM and departs at 1:00 PM
Arrives at 7:00 AM and departs at 3:00 PM
Arrives at 10:00 and departs at 6:00 PM
Responsible for receiving, organizing, prioritizing, and distributing cases throughout the workday
Identify and retrieve specific clinical information from patients’ charts and outside health care facilities
Communicate and problem solve with multiple pathologists and hospital personnel
Assist Education Coordinator and Quality Assurance Coordinator as needed
Prerequisites and required skills:
4-year undergraduate degree or 2-year associate’s degree with the intention of applying to graduate or medical school
Computer literate (specifically with Microsoft Office applications)
Organized and detailed-oriented
Adapt and respond to problems in an efficient and creative manner
Ability to multi-task efficiently during periods of high workload and stress
Initiate changes independently and demonstrate personal accountability
Operating Room Runner (2 positions available)
The Hospital Pathology Associates (HPA) Operating Room Runners serve a unique role within Allina, more specifically at Abbott Northwestern Hospital (ANW). This position provides a rare opportunity to see what happens to surgical specimens after they leave the operating room. The Runners work directly with the OR staff and Surgeons to promptly pick-up and deliver specimens from the ORs to the Lower Level Laboratory at ANW. The Runners are expected to communicate directly with surgeons in the OR during specimen pick-up, especially when there are special requests for a patient’s specimen which may include an intra-operative consultation with specific questions for the Pathologist. The runners are stationed in the laboratory, giving them unique access to observe pathologists, pathologist assistants (PAs), and histology staff as they work through various cases. This OR Runner program has been enormously successful in supporting patient care at ANW by ensuring consistent and rapid delivery of Pathology specimens to the Laboratory. Given the variability in specimen delivery requirements, there is ample time between deliveries that provides opportunities to help with special projects for HPA, typically involving data entry and analysis to support quality assurance, process improvement, and research.
Specific duties:
Typical shift hours (one worker per each shift)
Arrives at 7:30 AM and departs at 3:30 PM
Arrives at 10:00 AM and departs at 6:00 PM
Responsible for accurate and efficient delivery of specimens between operating rooms and Allina Laboratory
Communicate with surgeons and relay messages to pathology staff
Assists the QA and other Pathology Aides with projects as needed
Prerequisites and required skills:
4-year undergraduate degree or 2-year associate’s degree with the intention of applying to graduate or medical school
Self-motivated, organized, and detail-oriented
General computer literate (specifically with Microsoft Office applications); able to collect and analyze data efficiently in Excel
Strong communication and problem solving skills
Ability to keep a detailed and up-to-date project list
Ability to learn processes quickly and manage time efficiently
Biopsy Technician (2 positions available)
The Biopsy Technician role is a full-time position that involves working alongside HPA’s accomplished Pathologists’ Assistants and other healthcare professionals in the laboratory diagnostic process. As a Biopsy Technician, you will perform gross examinations of routine pathology specimens. A gross exam is the visual inspection of tissue removed from patients during surgical procedures. It involves describing, measuring, and sometimes manipulating the tissue (using ink or sectioning with a scalpel) before submitting the tissue for histologic processing. Gross examination of pathology specimens is one of the first and most critical parts of the laboratory diagnostic process and an integral part of patient care.
This position is within Allina HealthCare’s Central Laboratory in its Tenth Avenue Facility and is connected to the Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Specific duties:
Arrive at 1:00 PM and departs at 9:30 PM, Monday through Friday
Perform gross examinations of patient tissue specimens under the indirect supervision of a Pathologists’ Assistant
Data entry of pathologic data into the electronic medical record
Assist with the management of surgical specimens, including “flagging” cases for cancer prioritization processing
Prerequisites and required skills:
Graduated from a 4-year program with a bachelor’s degree in a chemical, physical, biological, or clinical laboratory science
Highly proficient with computers and technology
Organized and detailed-oriented
Strong communication skills
High-level of enthusiasm and client-service orientation
Laboratory Technical Assistant (2 positions available)
The laboratory technical assistant (Lab TA) will perform pre-analytical processes in Histology, with the possibility of branching out into more areas such as cytology, the core laboratory, and more. The Lab TA will collaborate with certified staff and pathologists in confirming & troubleshooting specimen labeling/collection requirements, computer orders and performing accurate and timely surgical sample preparation/staining techniques.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Position is from early June 2024 through end of June 2025
Schedule is rotating shifts Monday – Friday between the hours of 6:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Performs routine pre-analytic laboratory procedures
Performs routine problem resolution related to orders, specimens, and billing
Work closely with certified staff and pathologists to confirm and troubleshoot specimen
labeling/collection requirements and computer orders and perform accurate and timely
surgical sample preparation/staining techniques
Ensures patient orders are accurate and complete
Evaluates patient orders for completeness and follows up as needed
Administrative duties
Trouble-shoots minor equipment issues
Performs various clerical duties
May train others in the assigned work area
May assist with standard operating procedure development in the assigned work area
Other duties as assigned
Prerequisites and required skills:
High School or GED plus 60 semester hours or the equivalent of college course work from an accredited institution, including:
24 semester hours consisting of chemistry, biology, and medical laboratory technology in
any combination; or
24 semester hours in medical laboratory technology
HPA will provide lab training for a minimum of three (3) months in each specialty lab area in which highly complex testing is to be performed
Testimonials
“Being a pathology aide allowed me, as an aspiring medical student, to gain important perspective on the processes of modern medicine and the complexity of providing quality care. Working with over thirty doctors on a regular basis gave me a unique insight into the manifold responsibilities of the healthcare team, and helped me define where my interests lie as I look toward my career as a doctor.”
Joseph Hodapp (Education Coordinator 2014-2015, Class of 2019 at Medical College of Wisconsin)
“The pathology aide position at HPA is a truly unique opportunity for pre-meds. Problem solving
alongside physicians, technicians, and other medical professionals allows recent grads to collaborate as part of a medical team. I loved this immersive experience in pathology; I met kind mentors and prepared myself for an exciting and challenging future in medicine."
Perry Thompson (Workflow Coordinator 2014-2015, Class of 2020 at the University of MN)
"Working as a pathology aide at HPA was a great experience prior to starting medical school. In the education coordinator position, I was able to assist pathologists in preparing for tumor board conferences which taught me a lot about what cancer looks like under the microscope and about the field of pathology in general. In addition, the pathologists were wonderful to work with. Many of them were very generous with their time, frequently teaching me about interesting cases and giving advice on pursuing a career in medicine. The path aide experience at HPA is a unique gap year opportunity which prepared me well for medical school, and years later, I still keep in touch with my fellow cohort of path aides."
Carly Miller (Education Coordinator 2020-2021, University of Minnesota Medical School, Class of 2025)
"My 2021-2022 gap year spent during with HPA was a year of growth in an area of medicine I had no prior experience with. The challenges and triumphs along the way helped prepare me for my medical journey. Being given a leadership role while surrounded by physicians and other medical professionals has giving me the confidence to take leadership roles at the next level. One thing that always surprised me about working for HPA was their willingness to improve, often seeking out feedback and working alongside the Pathology Aides. Overall, I am very appreciative of my experience and definitely needed this gap year experience in preparation for medical school."
Sandin Skow (Workflow Coordinator 2021-2022, Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Class of 2026)
"I thoroughly enjoyed my time and experience as the 2021-2022 HPA Education Coordinator during my gap year! Through working with the pathologists, I learned so much about an area of medicine that I would not have otherwise had exposure to prior to medical school. I also believe this position set me apart from other medical school applicants and gave me a unique introduction to concepts and perspective on a wide variety of topics that I’ve since learned more about in my first two years of school. Last but not least, getting to know and working with the other path aides was an absolute blast!!"
Paige Woldt (Education Coordinator 2021-2022, Creighton University School of Medicine, Class of 2026)
“The path aide program is unique in that it allows aspiring health care professionals to take a very active role in the patient care process. During my time at HPA, I was proud of the responsibilities I was able to take up as it pertains to providing high quality care. Few alternatives exist for students without advanced degrees to work so closely with physicians and lab staff in such a meaningful role. Further, the mentoring that I received from HPA staff was invaluable as I prepared for medical school. I would recommend working at HPA to any aspiring healthcare professionals who want to participate in providing high quality patient care and hone their teamwork and communication skills.”
Ryan Courtney (Workflow Coordinator 2022-23, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine '27)