Masters in PathA Q&A

The Master of Science in Pathologists’ Assistant (MS PathA) program at UT Health Houston McGovern Medical School will only accept applications submitted through the Centralized Application Service for Advancing Health Professionals. (external link) Our application period opens in early October and applications are accepted until February 1st.

PathA program interviews take place between February and April. Competitive applicants will be notified via email with specific details regarding their interview offer. Interviews will be held virtually.

Candidates should have a strong background in basic sciences with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institute of higher education by the time of matriculation. All prerequisites must be completed prior to matriculation, although applications with pending prerequisites will be considered from students currently enrolled in a higher education program. All prerequisites must be completed at a regionally accredited institution of higher education.

Applicants must also demonstrate the interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, professionalism, adaptability to social cues, and overall demeanor required to navigate the professional and collaborative environments integral to success in the PathA program.

Applicants should be prepared to clearly explain the roles and responsibilities of a Pathologists’ Assistant. To this end, prior PathA shadowing is required.  Although the program does not specify a minimum number of shadowing hours, the experience should provide applicants with a comprehensive understanding of the Pathologists’ Assistant profession.

Acceptance into the program is contingent upon required immunization screening and clearance of a mandatory criminal background check.

All prerequisites must be completed at a regionally accredited institution of higher education. On-line courses from accredited universities will be accepted, however biology and chemistry laboratories should be in-person laboratories (not virtual/simulated laboratories). 

The Master of Science in Pathologists’ Assistant (MS PathA) program at UT Health Houston will matriculate our inaugural class in August 2027. Anticipated class size for our initial class enrollment is 6 students with planned increases in enrollment for up to 15 students per year.

The Master of Science in Pathologists’ Assistant (MS PathA) program at UT Health Houston has been approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and School Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) (external link). The program has been designed to meet National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) (external link) standards. The program application for NAACLS accreditation will be submitted per the NAACLS timeline to allow for graduating students to be able to apply to take the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP BOC) (external link) credentialing examination.

The Pathology Department at UT Health Houston offers qualified individuals the opportunity to observe the role of Pathologists’ Assistants and gain exposure to the pathology laboratory environment at Memorial Hermann Hospital-TMC. Shadowing experiences are observational and provide insight into specimen examination, gross dissection, autopsy, laboratory workflow, and the important role pathology plays in patient care.

Laboratory shadowing is offered Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM to 12 PM. Interested individuals who are not affiliated with UT Health Houston or Memorial Hermann Hospital-TMC, may apply as an observer through the Visiting Scholars Program (external link). Please note that associated fees apply ($100.00 USD for U.S. citizen/U.S. permanent resident) and applications may take up to 12 weeks to process.

Individuals who have an existing affiliation with UT Health Houston or Memorial Hermann Hospital-TMC, may reach out to [email protected] for additional information on applying to the shadowing program.