Pathology Assistant
(Female, Age 36) from ANtioch, TN
This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Female aged 36 who works as a Pathology Assistant in ANtioch, TN. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.
At a Glance
Current Job
Basic data on your current job
Job Title | Pathology Assistant |
---|---|
Salary | $25,000 |
Other Compensation | None Set |
Hours/Week | 42.5 |
Company Size | (not answered) |
Location | ANtioch, TN |
Years Experience | 4 years |
Career Ratings
Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)
Years in Career | 0 |
---|---|
Education | (not answered) |
Income Rating | 0 / 10 |
Interest Rating | 0 / 10 |
Work-Life Rating | 0 / 10 |
Fulfilment Rating | 0 / 10 |
Current job Q&A
Describe the type of organization you work for.
I work for TN state government, department of Agriculture. Over 1000 employees for the state.
Describe your job role and responsibilities.
I assist with animal autopsies, biopsies, and diagnostic testing to improve herd health and food quality, benefiting both the farmer and the consumer.
Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
401k, 2 weeks vacation, 1 sick day and 1 personal day earned per month, blue cross blue shield insurance
Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
Under
Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
Yes. i like it fine. i have a great team.
Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
Large dual-lab facility with autopsy room and biopsy room, Industrial type building with a nice classy all glass employee area (atrium)
Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 2
Benefits: 5
Hours: 6
Co-Workers: 3
Supervisors: 4
Job Title: 8
Level of Responsibility: 7
The Actual Work: 1
A day in the life of…
Please describe a typical workday for you in your current job:
5am to 6am | |
6am to 7am | |
7am to 8am | |
8am to 9am | Stocked supplies in Necropsy (autopsy non-human) area. Began carcass incineration. Prepared formaldehyde jars for tissue collection. Took phone call from cremation service concerning the pickup of a pet’s remains from our facility and arranged a time for pickup. (3 pm today) |
9am to 10am | Necropsied a 3 year old steer that was found dead this morning with no previous signs of illness or injury. Necropsy revealed a twisted gut (kink in bowel) that caused septicemia (infection from toxins). Removed small sections of all major organs (lung, liver, kidney, heart, spleen, brain) plus several sections of damaged and healthy bowel to be fixed in formaldehyde for histology. Disposed of carcass in incinerator. |
10am to 11am | QA meeting – Introduced to new Pathologist, addressed some maintenance issues and heating issues. Was given responsibility for contacting contractors and making appointments for maintenance and repairs. |
11am to 12pm | Entered Equine Infectious Anemia tests into data system to assign unique case numbers to each one. Trimmed in several tumors to be made into microscopic slides for viewing and diagnosis. |
12pm to 1pm | Lunch |
1pm to 2pm | Had a dog and a goat waiting for necropsy when i returned from lunch. Prepared carts for each animal with case number on all trays, jars, swabs, etc. Opened each animal for pathologist. Took swab of abscess in dog’s lung, took tissue samples, fecal float and swab on goat for suspected salmonella. |
2pm to 3pm | Incinerated all unclaimed/unwanted carcasses in bio cooler, cleaned necropsy room, took samples to lab for testing, mailed out slides to an independent pathologist. |
3pm to 4pm | Released pet remains to cremation service. Began calling contractors for appointments. Entered all case information into data system. Began closing duties (locking doors, putting away all fresh tissue). |
4pm to 5pm | Studied systemic infection in dogs in our reference library until 4:30. Off at 4:30. |
5pm to 6pm | |
6pm to 7pm | |
7pm to 8pm | |
8pm to 9pm | |
9pm to 10pm | |
10pm to 11pm | |
11pm to 12am |
Table of Contents
How you got your job
How did you get your current job?
State Job Site
What was the application process?
Submit app online, submit resume, take skill test, interview
Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
Yes – 2 interviews with 4 pathologists
If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
How am I with blood and odor
what animal/farm/lab experience i had
Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes
Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
No
Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes
If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
Study anatomy and disease processes in animals, develop a strong stomach, be physically tough
What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
Multi Tasking, strength, tact, power tool use, anatomy and physiology knowledge
Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Ar least anatomy/physiology – veterinary
What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Remember why you do the job and its much easier to deal with the sights and smells
Long-term career plans
Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
Yes – pathology experience I will need later
What are your current career goals?
To find a position with the coronew
Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
Prior work history
Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:
Title | Length | Salary | Description | |
Prior Job 1 | Phlebotomist | 1 year | 9.50/hour | Phlebotomy – plasma donation center |
Prior Job 2 | Manager | 3 years | 2000/mo | Pet sales |
Educational background
Please list your educational background:
High School GPA:3.8
GPA | School | Degree | |
College (Undergraduate) or Technical/Vocational |
4 | Vol State | Pre-Nursing |
Graduate or Professional (Masters or Doctorate) |
Ask a Question of this Mentor
This mentor has opted to receive questions from people interested in this career or job position. Please be respectful of their time and willingness to help. Include some basic relevant background so they can intelligently answer your question.