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Microscope and SlideHistotechnician Program

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Mt. San Antonio College offers an Associate of Science Degree in Histotechnology. This program will improve the training of entry level histotechnicians, thereby helping the California histology industry which currently experiences difficulty in finding qualified histotechnicians.

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    • What is a Histotechnician?

      Histotechnicians prepare thin sections of human, animal and plant tissue for microscopic examination. The Mt. SAC Histotechnician Training Program is intended to prepare students for entry level employment as histotechnicians in clinical, veterinary, forensic, marine biology, and research laboratories. It also serves as a pathway for career advancement in specialized areas in the histotechnology profession.

    • Mt. SAC Histotechnician Program

      The program stresses histotechnology theory, practical application, as well as the development of job skills. The program is designed to enhance the ability of students to reason, understand and apply correct principles of histotechnology by teaching analytical and critical thinking skills as opposed to rote learning. In addition to lecture and laboratory classes on campus, students will be placed in work experience in affiliate histology laboratories. Graduates of the program will be eligible for certification by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).

      Students of histotechnology will be provided with a practical foundation through laboratory courses on campus, partnerships with hospitals, clinical laboratories and other histology settings provide students with on-the-job training. Program curriculum, including training in immunohistochemistry, will prepare students for career advancement or entry into ancillary programs.

      Students wishing to pursue a baccalaureate degree and histotechnologist certification should consult with a Mt. SAC educational advisor to discuss transfer options.

    • Skills You Will Learn

      Skills developed through the histotechnician training program include those required for histotechnician (HT) certification.  Training will include:

      • Fixation, tissue processing
      • Embedding, microtomy techniques
      • Troubleshooting tissue slide preparation
      • Hematoxylin & eosin staining, special stains, and coverslipping techniques
      • Tissue identification
      • Histochemistry and Immunohistochemistry
      • Introduction to in situ hybridization and flow cytometry
      • Use and maintenance of histotechnology instrumentation
      • Safety and regulatory agencies
      • Quality control and record keeping
      • Interpersonal skills and ethics
    • Value Added for Degree

      Since January 2005, the Mt. SAC Histotechnician Program has met the certification requirements mandated by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Registry.

      Applicants who wish to take the ASCP Board of Registry exam for Histotechnician Certification must either complete a Histotechnician Training Program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), or achieve an associate degree and have one year of experience in a histotechnology laboratory.

      The Histotechnician Training Program at Mt. SAC was awarded NAACLS accreditation in 2003. Graduates of this program will meet the certification requirements mandated by the ASCP.

      National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science
      5600 N. River Rd., Suite 720
      Rosemont, IL 60018
      849.939.3597

    • Program Outcomes 
      Mt. San Antonio College Histotechnology Program Outcomes
      Certification Pass Rates*
      Graduated between 7/1/21 - 6/30/22 Graduated between 7/1/22 - 6/30/23 Graduated between 7/1/23 - 6/30/24 Graduated between 7/1/24 - 6/30/25
      # who sat for the exam within first year of graduation** 23 23 20 10
      # who passed the exam with the first year of graduation** 21 21 16 10
      Yearly Certification Pass Rate Percentage** 91% 91% 79% 100%
      Graduation/Attrition Rates
      Students slated to graduate between 7/1/22 - 6/30/23 Students slated to graduate between 7/1/23 - 6/30/24 Students slated to graduate between 7/1/24 - 6/30/25 Students slated to graduate between 7/1/25 - 6/30/26
      # who began the “final half” of the program 33 21 26 24
      # who began the “final half” of the program but left 1 1 1 1
      # who began the “final half” of the program and are still enrolled 6 2 2 7
      # who began the “final half” of the program and have graduated 26 18 23 16
      Yearly Attrition Rate Percentage 3% 5% 4% 4%
      Yearly Graduation Rate Percentage 96% 95% 96% 96%
      Placement Rates
      Graduated between 7/1/21 - 6/30/22 Graduated between 7/1/22 - 6/30/23 Graduated between 7/1/23 - 6/30/24 Graduated between 7/1/24 - 6/30/25
      # who found employment in the field and/or continued their education within one year of graduation 25 24 16 14
      # who did neither of the above - 2 2 3
      # with no information 3 - 5 6
      Yearly Average Placement Rate Percentage 100% 92% 89% 82%

      Program Outcomes

    • Student Handbook

      Student Handbook

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Our Professors

  •  Jennifer Mac Donald
    Professor
  •  Becky Radabaugh
    Professor
  •   
Histotechnician Program

Building 60-2411
(909) 274-4884
Jennifer Mac Donald
Becky Radabaugh