Histotechnicians process tissue samples, requiring proficiency in tissue processing, staining, slide mounting, imaging, and microscopic examination. Most have a bachelor’s degree in a scientific field and work in research institutions, government organizations, or private company laboratories. Good fine motor skills and consistency are important traits, and skills learned include tissue handling techniques and microscopy. Experienced histotechnicians can earn an average salary, and jobs vary depending on the institution and researcher’s interests.
A histotechnician is a type of laboratory technician who processes tissue samples. Histology is the study of tissues, which means that histologists study aggregates of cells as they appear naturally or in situ. Someone in this position will spend a lot of time working with tissue samples and will need to be proficient in tissue processing including staining, slide mounting, imaging and microscopic examination. Most histotechnicians hold, at a minimum, a bachelor’s degree in a scientific field. Although it is possible to find histotechnicians without previous experience or scientific degree, these situations are rare.
Jobs in histotechnicians can be found working in research institutions, government organizations and in private company laboratories. While some entry-level positions are offered as histotechnician jobs, many in this field choose to remain in the position for the duration of their careers. Although some technicians work directly out of college as histotechnicians with little or no experience, earning minimum wage or close to it, an experienced histotechnician can earn an average salary. It is common for a private company to offer a higher salary for this position than potential employees in an academic setting because of the additional educational benefits often found associated with working in academia. Due to the fact that there are often large numbers of applicants at academic institutions, most histotechnical jobs associated with research institutions in higher education require prior experience.
Often, research institutions offer histotechnician jobs to work in the laboratory of a principal investigator, who may be studying anything from cancer to molecules expressed in organotypic tissue cultures. These histotechnician jobs vary greatly depending on the institution where they are offered and the interests of the researcher looking for a technician. A private company can offer histotechnical work to consistently test new tissue stains or the function and specificity of antibodies manufactured against antigens of interest. These jobs are most often associated with routine processing and product testing. A hospital may also employ histotechnicians to examine biopsy specimens.
Good personality traits that benefit employees in technician-technical jobs include steady hands, good fine motor skills, and the ability to repeat a technique consistently. Skills learned associated with histotechnician jobs include tissue handling techniques such as fixation, cutting, mounting, and staining. Many in this position find it helpful to become skilled working with light microscopes, electron microscopes, and fluorescent microscopy. Data analysis and detailed observation are characteristics that develop over time when working as a histotechnician.
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