Histopathology Technologist

Summary

This position is in the Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service at Baltimore VAMC. The Histopathology Technologist serves as an expert providing authoritative advice and consultation for more difficult‑complex‑or unique tests requiring special knowledge. Advises all organizational levels on various aspects of the specialized testing including appropriateness that takes into consideration clinical context.

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

• United States Citizenship:
  Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Education:
  
  Individuals must meet one of the requirements below:
  Successful completion of a full four-year course of study from an accredited college or university - leading to a bachelor's or higher degree - that included a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of a histopathology technologist - such as - but not limited to clinical biology - microbiology - physiology - pre-medical - medical lab technology - chemistry - immunology - physiology - anatomy
• OR
• Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university with a combination of 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) of biology and chemistry (must include credit hours in both);
  
  OR
• Successful completion of two years of progressively higher level graduate education - leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree - with a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the position of histopathology technologist - such as clinical biology - microbiology - physiology - pre- medical - medical lab technology - chemistry - immunology - physiology - anatomy
• Certification:
  Candidates must currently possess the histotechnologist (HTL) certification given by the ASCP Board of Certification
• The ASCP requires completion of a histotechnician or histotechnology program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS) to be considered "board eligible" to take the certification exam
• OR - One year of full time experience in all of the following: fixation - embedding - microtomy - processing - and staining in a histopathology (clinical - veterinary - industry - or research) laboratory
• English Language Proficiency:
  Histopathology Technologists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Foreign
  
  Education:
  
  To be creditable - education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization approved by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials - and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Grandfathering Provision:
  All histopathology technologists employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series - who perform the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard - are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held - including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to the position - the following provisions apply:
  Histopathology technologists who do not meet the basic requirements for education and certification may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance level - or demoted within the occupation - but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in a supervisory or…