PATHOLOGISTS' ASSISTANT

About the role

The Department of Medical Examiner investigates and determines the circumstances, manner, and cause of all violent, sudden, or unusual deaths occurring within Los Angeles County. In 2024, approximately 18,000 deaths were reported to the Department, and we investigated 11,452 of those cases. Each year, we conduct thousands of postmortem examinations, including full autopsies, partial autopsies, and external examinations. This level of activity, along with the complexity and sensitivity of the cases handled—including numerous high-profile investigations—makes the Department one of the largest and most technologically sophisticated medical examiner’s offices in the world. Our work is supported by advanced tools such as postmortem X-ray and CT imaging, which enhance our ability to determine cause and manner of death with accuracy and precision.

Responsibilities

• Prepares surgical specimen for pathology gross examination through a comprehensive macroscopic examination and evaluation of all surgical pathological specimens, including measuring, weighing, inking margins, dissecting, and sectioning tissues.
• Obtains relevant clinical information, identifies necessary techniques or procedures, describes gross anatomic features of specimens, dissects surgical specimens, and prepares tissue for histological examination.
• Obtains related clinical history (i.e., scans, x-rays, and laboratory data) to direct the processing of specimens.
• Assists the Pathologist with rendering the provisional gross anatomic diagnosis, through observations made in dissection.
• Performs frozen sectioning and staining for intraoperative consultation.
• Performs biomedical photography of specimens.
• Performs postmortem examinations including external examinations, in situ organ inspections, evisceration, dissection and recording of applicable data.
• Moves bodies from crypt to autopsy table and manipulates other large surgical specimens.
• Updates and maintains laboratory databases and orders supplies for the grossing and frozen section rooms.
• Fulfills administrative duties in the grossing room, including coordination of specimen type to grossing station, accessioning specimens, managing holding times for stored specimens after processing, and managing inventory.
• Assists in troubleshooting workflow issues and recommends changes using process improvement techniques.
• Acts as a preceptor and assists Pathologist in training pathology residents and other pathology lab personnel.
• Assists in the organization and coordination of anatomic pathology conferences.
• Communicates with surgeons, pathologists, residents, and ancillary medical staff for continuity of care concerning orientation, gross findings, and margins.
• Assists in maintaining surgical pathology policies, protocols, procedures, and quality reports.
• Participates in departmental inspections and surveys to ensure regulatory compliance.
• Aid in obtaining proper legal authorizations for autopsies and notifying appropriate authorities to coordinate requests for tissue sampling.
• Aid in receiving and processing cytology specimens (e.g., gynecological and non-gynecological) as needed.
• Performs accessioning of specimens as needed.

Requirements

No experience required. A current and valid certification as a Pathologists’ Assistant from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)* is required. In order to receive credit for the required certification, you must include a legible copy of the official certificate and/or license at the time of filing or within seven (7) calendar days from the date of filing application. Please submit documentation to ealcazar@hr.lacounty.gov and indicate your name, the exam name, and the exam number. We do not accept password-protected documents. Ensure documents are unlocked before attaching to your application or sending to the exam analyst.