Histopathology: An Introduction

Written By: Aditya Kumar

The study of examining tissues to study the development of the disease, also known as histopathology, has been used for a significant length of time to not only study the behavior of abnormal tissues but also study how the disease can invade various parts of the body. Pathologists working in the histopathology field use techniques like chemical fixation, dehydration, and sectioning to prepare tissues for histologists to examine them for deformities that may be indicating disease. Histopathology is a relatively unheard-of topic in medicine but represents a crucial part of what it means to diagnose a disease by sampling tissue through histology. Histopathology, however, should not be confused with cytopathology, the examination of the development of disease through cells on different parts of the body.

Histopathology professionals’ jobs usually tend to be diagnosing diseases, but they have several other duties and responsibilities. These consist of writing up reports on the specimen, consulting reading material, research, etc. They also are sometimes required to work with tissue that is smeared with body matter and fluid. These procedures have to keep tissue type and location in mind in order to conduct a proper investigation into what happened with the disease and how it is spreading/can be prevented.

Histopathology careers usually involve the study of biology and chemistry. Most pathologists get a Bachelor’s in premedical studies, microbiology, or chemistry. After that, getting a Master’s in the same area is very common. Then, most people go to medical school for 4 years to receive a Doctor of Medicine. Next comes a residency in a hospital or research center for 4 years. After this comes certification for medical pathologists. Histopathologists can work in the field(a hospital), a clinic, lab, or they can also do consulting. Overall, the process of becoming a certified histopathologist takes 12–15 years of rigorous study and residency. The median salary in 2020 is $103,998 or $50/hour in the United States. Histopathology, or the examination of tissues to diagnose disease, is a relatively unknown but incredibly important scientific area.

Sources

Pathologists, T. (n.d.). Histopathology. Retrieved July 06, 2020, from https://www.rcpath.org/discover-pathology/news/fact-sheets/histopathology.html