Histotechnology (9395)

A histotechnician is an individual who is trained in the preparation and staining of tissue slides for microscopic examination and disease diagnosis by the pathologist. Histotechnicians may be employed in a variety of areas, such as hospitals, clinics, doctors' offices, research, veterinary pathology, marine biology, and forensic pathology. Histotechnicians may preserve organs for later examination and perform enzyme and immunohistochemistry techniques. Histotechnicians may also assist the pathologist in the preparation of frozen tissue sections which are used to provide rapid diagnosis.

Mission

Lakeland Community College's Histotechnology Program prepares students to enter this field with entry-level knowledge, competencies, ability and problem-solving skills needed to function in the routine pathology laboratory setting.

Graduates of the program will be eligible for:

  • Employment as an entry level practitioner in hospitals, clinics, doctor's offices, and research facilities.
  • Transfer to a bachelor degree program
  • The national certification examination for HT given by ASCP (American Society of Clinical Pathology)
  • Possess the skills of current histotechnology practices as entry level practitioners

Program Outcomes/Goals

The outcomes/goals of the Histotechnology Program will be to:

  1. Provide the students with the knowledge and technical skills for career entry into the profession of histotechnology.
  2. Prepare students to meet the criteria to sit for the ASCP Board of Registry Examination for Histotechnology.
  3. Cultivate personal growth and development through humanities, social science, and communication courses.
  4. Develop interpersonal skills and attitudes needed to interact with clients, laboratory staff and other researchers, pathologists, and healthcare professionals.
  5. Promote students' awareness of medical ethics and develop their professionalism.

All students enrolled in a nursing or allied health program/certificate must complete a criminal background check. In accordance with clinical site requirements, students with a criminal record may be ineligible to participate in a clinical course/rotation/practicum. Delays, for any reason, in obtaining background results may cause an interruption in the clinical rotation sequence or inability to complete program requirements. Additional background screening may be required by individual facilities.

Drug testing may be requested in accordance with clinical affiliation requirements and/or for patient/student health and safety.

A minimum GPA of 2.0 and a "C" grade or higher is required in all histotechnology and general education courses as listed in the curriculum guide for the AAS degree in histotechnology. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grades may not be used to fulfill health program requirements.

Admission Procedures

Students must meet specific admission requirements for this program. Listed below are requirements for admission to the Histotechnology Program:

Option 1: High School Option

This option is for current high school seniors or high school graduates who apply to the program within two years of high school graduation.

  • Complete college application(s).
  • Composite score of 21 or higher on the American College Test (ACT) or combined score of 940 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
  • Place into MATH 1330 Statistics for the Health Sciences or higher or pass MATH 0850 Beginning Algebra.
  • Complete high school algebra, chemistry, and biology with a "C" grade or higher.
  • An overall high school GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or equivalent.
  • Meet with the program director and counselor to review program prerequisites and requirements.

Upon successful completion of the above criteria, the applicant will be admitted into the program. Students must complete HLTH 1215 Medical Terminology for Health Professions with a "C" grade or higher prior to enrolling in their first health technology course.

Option 2: College Option

This option is for students who do not qualify for admission under Option 1.

  • Complete college application(s).
  • Submit high school transcript as well as any college transcript(s).
  • Meet with a counselor to review program prerequisites and requirements.
  • Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in program applicable courses. The following courses, or equivalent courses from other regionally accredited colleges, must be completed with a combined minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher and a “C” grade or higher.

NOTE:  Students must meet one of these requirements to take BIOL 2210 Anatomy and Physiology I with a "C" or higher:

  1. High school biology within last five years and high school chemistry.
  2. High school biology within last five years and CHEM 1100 Elementary Chemistry I: Intro to Inorganic Chemistry.
  3. BIOL 1200 Fundamentals of Biology for the Health Technologies.

Students are required to take the Math Placement Test and be placed into MATH 1330 Statistics for the Health Sciences or complete MATH 0850 Beginning Algebra with a "C" grade or higher.

Option 3: Fast Track Option

Students pursuing this option must fulfill all of the Option 2 requirements and complete at least 22 credit hours of courses listed under the Fast Track Option prior to starting the program in order to complete the program in three semesters plus the intervening summer. Students do not qualify if they will have courses other than HSTY 2300 Histotechnician Clinical Directed Practice and HSTY 2400 Histotechnician Seminar remaining to take during the third semester.

Curriculum Plan for Traditional Students

Plan of Study Grid
First SemesterCredit Hours
BIOL 2210 Anatomy and Physiology I 4
CHEM 1100 Elementary Chemistry I: Intro to Inorganic Chemistry 4
ENGL 1110
or ENGL 1111
 English Composition I (A) 1
or English Composition I (B)
 3
FYEX 1000 First Year Experience 1
HSTY 1100 Introduction to Histotechnology 4
HSTY 2100 Histology 3
 Credit Hours19
Second Semester
BIOL 2220 Anatomy and Physiology II 4
HLTH 1150 Introduction to Electronic Health Records 1
HSTY 2050 Histochemistry 4
HSTY 2250 Histotechnique 3
 Credit Hours12
Summer
BIOL 2700 Microbiology 4
BIOS 2901 Clinical Molecular Diagnostics 4
 Credit Hours8
Third Semester
ENGL 1120 English Composition II 3
HSTY 2151 Specialty Areas in Histotechnology 3
HSTY 2220 Theory and Practice of Immunohistochemistry 2
MATH 1330 Statistics for the Health Sciences 2 3
 Credit Hours11
Fourth Semester
COMM 1050
or COMM 1150
 Fundamentals of Public Speaking 3
or Fundamentals of Interpersonal Communications
 2
HSTY 2300 Histotechnician Clinical Directed Practice 5
HSTY 2400 Histotechnician Seminar 2
PSYC 1500
or SOCY 1150
 Introduction to Psychology
or Principles of Sociology
 3
 Credit Hours12
 Total Credit Hours62
1

English course selection is based on placement test results (ENGL 1111 English Composition I (B) is 4 credits, only 3 credits apply to the degree).

2

Students may substitute MATH 1550 Statistics (A). This 4 credit course may be required for students transferring to a four-year college.

3

Students may substitute COMM 1100 Effective Interpersonal Communications. This 3 credit course may be required for students transferring to a four-year college.

Technical course
This course is designated as a technical course in the program. Students must earn a "C" grade or higher in the course to fulfill the college's graduation requirements policy.

Fast Track Option

Students pursuing this option must fulfill all of the Option 2 requirements and complete the following courses with at least 22 credit hours completed prior to starting the program in order to complete the program in three semesters plus the intervening summer. Students do not qualify if they will have courses other than HSTY 2300 Histotechnician Clinical Directed Practice and HSTY 2400 Histotechnician Seminar remaining to take during the third semester.

Curriculum Plan for Fast Track Option

Course Title Credit Hours
BIOL 2210Anatomy and Physiology I4
BIOL 2220Anatomy and Physiology II4
BIOL 2700Microbiology4
CHEM 1100Elementary Chemistry I: Intro to Inorganic Chemistry4
COMM 1050Fundamentals of Public Speaking 12
or COMM 1150 Fundamentals of Interpersonal Communications
ENGL 1110English Composition I (A) 23
or ENGL 1111 English Composition I (B)
ENGL 1120English Composition II3
FYEX 1000First Year Experience1
MATH 1330Statistics for the Health Sciences (or other college-level MATH course) 33
PSYC 1500Introduction to Psychology3
or SOCY 1150 Principles of Sociology
Total credits31
1

Students may substitute COMM 1100 Effective Interpersonal Communications. This 3 credit course may be required for students transferring to a four-year college.

2

English course selection is based on placement test results (ENGL 1111 English Composition I (B) is 4 credits, only 3 credits apply to the degree).

3

Students may substitute COMM 1100 Effective Interpersonal Communications. This 3 credit course may be required for students transferring to a four-year college.

Course Title Credit Hours
First Semester
Total credits from above list31
HSTY 1100Introduction to Histotechnology 4
HSTY 2100Histology 3
HSTY 2220Theory and Practice of Immunohistochemistry 2
Credit Hours9
Second Semester
HLTH 1150Introduction to Electronic Health Records1
HSTY 2050Histochemistry 4
HSTY 2250Histotechnique 3
Credit Hours8
Summer
BIOS 2901Clinical Molecular Diagnostics 4
HSTY 2151Specialty Areas in Histotechnology 3
Credit Hours7
Third Semester
HSTY 2300Histotechnician Clinical Directed Practice 5
HSTY 2400Histotechnician Seminar 2
Credit Hours7
Total Credit Hours62
Technical course
This course is designated as a technical course in the program. Students must earn a "C" grade or higher in the course to fulfill the college's graduation requirements policy.