2. Education & Training
  3. Master of Science in Pathologists’ Assistant
  4. Masters in PathA Curriculum

Masters in PathA Curriculum

The Master of Science in Pathologists’ Assistant (MS PathA) program at McGovern Medical School program comprises 74 semester credit hours completed over six consecutive semesters. First year basic science courses are taught by a combination of PathA and MD/DO instructors with extensive experience in student, resident and fellow education, providing PathA students a varied educational experience and early exposure to working with fully trained Pathologists’ Assistants and Physicians. Second year clinical rotations take place within institutions in the Texas Medical Center (TMC) including Memorial Hermann Hospital-TMC (external link) and Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital (Harris Health) (external link), as well as at other clinical rotation sites through the state of Texas.

Semester 1 – Fall
  • PTHA 5401 Foundation of Medical Science (Human Anatomy) — 4 semester credit hours
  • PTHA 5402 Disease Mechanisms I — 4 semester credit hours
  • PTHA 5403 Fundamentals of Pathology I — 4 semester credit hours
  • PTHA 5204 Microbiology for PathA — 2 semester credit hours

Semester 2 – Spring
  • PTHA 5412 Disease Mechanisms II — 4 semester credit hours
  • PTHA 5413 Fundamentals of Pathology II — 4 semester credit hours
  • PTHA 5205 Histology for PathA — 2 semester credit hours
  • PTHA 5206 Education and Communication in Pathology — 2 semester credit hours
  • PTHA 5207 Documentation in Pathology — 2 semester credit hours

Semester 3 – Summer
  • PTHA 5604 Surgical Pathology Grossing Procedures — 6 semester credit hours
  • PTHA 5215 Autopsy Pathology Dissection Techniques — 2 semester credit hours
  • PTHA 5106 Special Techniques — 1 semester credit hour
  • PTHA 5107 Medical Ethics — 1 semester credit hour
  • PTHA 5208 Laboratory Management — 2 semester credit hours

Semester 4 – Fall
  • PTHA 6101 PathA Clinical Rotation I — 10 semester credit hours
  • PTHA 6201 Pathology Review I — 2 semester credit hours

Semester 5 – Spring
  • PTHA 6102 PathA Clinical Rotation II — 10 semester credit hours
  • PTHA 6202 Pathology Review II — 2 semester credit hours

Semester 6 – Summer
  • PTHA 6803 PathA Clinical Rotation III — 8 semester credit hours
  • PTHA 6203 Pathology Review III — 2 semester credit hours