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Anatomical Pathology Technician

Do you want to become a Anatomical Pathology Technician? Here is some information to help point you in the right direction:

Job Description - Print Page

Anatomical pathology technicians help pathologists to conduct post-mortem examinations, which are undertaken to find out the causes of a person's death.

Duties include:

• removing and weighing internal organs
• taking and recording samples for analysis
• reconstructing the body for viewing
• conducting viewings in the mortuary quiet room
• ensuring the mortuary is safe and hygienic
• making accurate identification records
• dealing with enquiries and providing information
• helping to train other healthcare staff
• clerical and administrative work.

Technicians usually work 37 to 40 hours a week, usually with some shifts and weekend work. Occasional overtime is required.

They work indoors in a mortuary - usually plain, single-storey buildings with few windows, or in the basement.

Trainees normally start around £10,000. Senior technicians earn up to £20,700 a year.

An anatomical pathology technician needs to be:

• tactful and sensitive
• a confident communicator
• fit, healthy and strong
• practical, with a knowledge of science, anatomy and physiology
• able to cope with unpleasant sights and smells.

There are about 1,000 anatomical pathology technicians in the UK. Employers include health authorities, hospital trusts and local authority mortuaries.

Most trainees start straight from school. Some employers prefer applicants with knowledge of science, and GCSEs may be helpful. Many hospitals and health authorities prefer to appoint technicians aged 20 years or over.

Training is on the job with study for Royal Institute of Public Health (RIPH) awards.

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