Histology technician working with tissue sample

Histotechnology training at Mayo Clinic

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Program description

The Histology Technician Program at Mayo Clinic offers one of the best histology technician training options in the nation. Within just nine months, your training will walk you through the technique and artistry of how to embed, cut, stain, and prepare a tissue sample for review under a microscope.

Program highlights:

  • A flexible program with an online, blended curriculum combined with in-person training lab sessions and clinical rotations.
  • Training experiences at one of the largest lab systems in the world, yet exposure to a variety of smaller, more specialized labs.
  • A program that focuses on hands-on training where you’ll work with thousands of samples before you even graduate!

Our training is focused on developing Mayo Clinic's future workforce — meaning that after graduation, if students are the right candidates and positions are available, many graduates go on to work at Mayo Clinic directly out of training. However, you can be confident you’ll be fully prepared for your first day on the job, wherever that may be.

"I love working with the tissues"

5:56

"I love working with the tissues"

Jessica Craft

Student stories

Mayo Clinic campus in Phoenix, Arizona.
Campus and community

Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ

Mayo Clinic campus in Jacksonville, Florida.
Campus and community

Jacksonville, FL

Mayo Clinic campus in Rochester, Minnesota.
Campus and community

Rochester, MN

Behind the scenes: Histotechnologist

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Behind the scenes: Histotechnologist

Explore what a histology technician does

Histology technicians are responsible for preparing microscope slides for a pathologist to review. Using a variety of techniques and equipment, they prepare thin slices of human, animal, or plant tissue to make abnormalities visible with a microscope. The identification and understanding of diseases such as cancer would not be possible without their role in health care.

Accreditation information

The Histology Technician Program is an accredited training program.

Program mission, vision, values, and goals

Mission statement

Our commitment is to develop bright, ambitious future leaders in the field of histotechnology, proven through outstanding academic achievement and highly proficient technical aptitude.

Vision

The Histology Technician Program offers an unparalleled educational experience by consistently providing a high-quality histology curriculum in a blended learning format.

Values and goals

We believe:

  • A high-quality histologic product is a critical component to an accurate patient diagnosis
  • A community of educators is necessary to provide a broad learning experience and address the individual needs of the learner
  • Collaboration is important for successful growth and development of the student
  • Everyone in our diverse learning environment has an equal voice and must be treated with dignity and mutual respect
  • Every student has the capacity to succeed and demonstrate professional excellence
  • Experiential learning is necessary to increase knowledge and clarify meaning
  • Innovation and technology enhance the educational experience

Goals:

  • Respect: To treat everyone with dignity and advance cultural awareness.
  • Integrity: To adhere to the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, and personal responsibility.
  • Compassion: To deliver the best patient care by creating the highest quality histologic product on every patient sample.
  • Healing: To inspire hope and nurture well-being of the whole person, respecting each person’s individual needs and values.
  • Teamwork: To value the contributions of all and promote collaboration among medical professionals.
  • Innovation: To further advance the field of histotechnology using creative reasoning and cutting-edge technology
  • Excellence: To deliver the best patient outcomes through knowledge and technical aptitude and dedicating oneself to continuing education and ongoing skill development.
  • Stewardship: To exemplify the histology technician’s professional role in the healthcare system and society.

Accreditation information

The Histology Technician Program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).

National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
5600 N. River Road, Suite 720
Rosemont, IL 60018-5119
Phone: 773-714-8880

Email: info@naacls.org

For further details, see the accreditation information for Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences.

Program outcomes

The following program outcome measures are tracked and monitored as part of continuous program assessment and accreditation:

Class year 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023

Retention/attrition rate
Percentage of students beginning the program that go on to successfully graduate.

100% 85% 73%

Graduation rate
Percentage of students beginning the second half of the program that go on to successfully graduate.

*Minimum standard – 70%
100% 100% 100%

Employment/placement rate
Percentage of graduates that find employment or continue their education within one year of graduation.

*Minimum standard – 70%
100% 100% 100%

First-time certification exam pass rate
Percentage of students passing the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification Histology Technician (HT) or Histotechnologist (HTL) Exam within one year of graduation.

*Minimum standard – 75%
100% 100% 100%

*Rate established by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) as a quality measure of its accredited programs