Histotechnician 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
  
  For information on our Program Outcomes, please visit the link below.
  
  Program Outcomes
- Student Handbook
  
  Student Handbook

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Histologic Technician Training
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Mt. San Antonio College Histotechnology Program Outcomes

Certification Pass Rates*

	Graduated between 7/1/19 - 6/30/20	Graduated between 7/1/20 - 6/30/21	Graduated between 7/1/21 - 6/30/22	Graduated between 7/1/22 - 6/30/23
# who sat for the exam within first year of graduation**	8	24	23	23
# who passed the exam with the first year of graduation**	6	24	21	21
Yearly Certification Pass Rate Percentage**	75%	100%	91%	91%

Graduation/Attrition Rates

	Students slated to graduate between 7/1/20 - 6/30/20	Students slated to graduate between 7/1/21 - 6/30/22	Students slated to graduate between 7/1/22 - 6/30/23	Students slated to graduate between 7/1/23 - 6/30/24
# who began the “final half” of the program	26	21	33	21
# who began the “final half” of the program but left	0	0	1	1
# who began the “final half” of the program and are still enrolled	14	14	6	2
# who began the “final half” of the program and have graduated	12	17	26	18
Yearly Attrition Rate Percentage	0	0	3%	5%
Yearly Graduation Rate Percentage	100%	100%	96%	95%

Placement Rates

	Graduated between 7/1/19 - 6/30/20	Graduated between 7/1/20 - 6/30/21	Graduated between 7/1/21 - 6/30/22	Graduated between 7/1/22 - 6/30/23
# who found employment in the field and/or continued their education within one year of graduation	8	22	25	24
# who did neither of the above	-	1	-	2
# with no information	3	3	3	-
Yearly Average Placement Rate Percentage	100%	3	100%	92%

Histotechnician Program

Certified Program

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.

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Our Professors

Jennifer Mac Donald
Professor

Histotechnician Program

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