Histology is the study of microscopic structures of tissues. Tissue samples typically come from humans, but may also come from animals or plants.
A certified histotechnologist prepares these tissue samples for analysis. As part of a medical laboratory team that includes pathologists and lab managers, a histology technician plays a critical role in diagnosing and treating diseases like cancer.
Histologists perform tissue preparation tasks requiring patience and fine motor skills. They need to be able to work quickly but carefully, either independently or in group settings. Responsibilities include:
Our 12-month, hospital-based program provides students with academic and practical experience in histology. Student experience combines textbook work, classroom time and hands-on experience in one of our labs.
Class sizes are limited due to the one-on-one attention given to each student.
The Wisconsin School of Histotechnology offers a Route 2 Study program. This means students entering our school must already have an associate degree/minimum of 60 semester hours of academic credit with at least 12 combined credits of both biology and chemistry, or a baccalaureate degree with at least 30 combined credits of both biology and chemistry.
Upon completion of the program, students are eligible to take the ASCP HT or HTL certification exam through the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification.
We’re proud of a 100% examination pass rate for previous graduates of our program. In 2019, nearly 63% of all WI ACL histology techs are graduates of our school.
This is a paid externship with a current hourly rate of $15.50. Students are full-time employees of Advocate Aurora Health Care and are eligible for benefits.
There is no tuition cost for the program and textbooks are provided.
