Master of Science in Pathologists' Assistant

Admissions & Application

Application Deadline

• Fall semester deadline: February 1st

All official documents must be received by AHCAS no later than February 1st to be considered for Fall entry.

All prerequisites must be completed at the time of application submission and applications will be considered on a rolling basis beginning Sept 15th – February 1st

Admission Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university in medical laboratory science, biology, or a related science including standard college courses in general chemistry, mathematics, microbiology, and biology (see list below).
• Applicants must complete a Surgical Pathology shadowing experience with a practicing Pathologists’ Assistant (PA) or have relevant work experience in Surgical or Anatomical Pathology. Although we do not require a certain number of hours, through this experience you must be able to describe intelligibly the duties of a PA. Ideally, the applicant will obtain a letter of recommendation from at least one PA they have shadowed.
• Completion of an application for admission, including official transcripts of undergraduate and graduate coursework from all institutions attended.
• Completion of all prerequisite courses with a grade of 3.0 or higher (on a 4 point scale).
• Submit three (3) letters of recommendation from individuals who have the knowledge to evaluate the applicant's academic and professional performance (professional supervisors, pathologists, laboratory manager, college professor, Pathologists’ Assistant, etc).
• Submit Curriculum vitae/Resume and personal statement/essay addressing career goals and reasons for pursuing the Pathologists' Assistant degree.
• International applicants will be considered. Applicants from non-English speaking countries must submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score.

Interested individuals may request more information regarding the CLS Pathologists' Assistant by emailing your Name, Address and Phone number and the name of the program to clsadmin@utmb.edu

Prerequisite Courses

To enter the Pathologists' Assistant program at UTMB, applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university in medical laboratory science, biology, or a related science including standard college courses in general chemistry, mathematics, microbiology, and biology.

Total Prerequisite Credit Hours: 27

1. Biology and chemistry science courses must be for science majors and include laboratories.
2. The mathematics course must be college algebra or higher.
3. A grade of "B" or higher is required to satisfy any prerequisite.
4. A grade of "B" or higher is required to satisfy any transfer credit course.

Additional recommended but not required courses: organic chemistry, microbiology, immunology, and genetics.

Application Process

To be considered for acceptance into the UTMB Master of Science in Pathologists' Assistant program, the applicant must:

1. UTMB application (submit online). You must also include the following items:
   1. the required application fee
   2. your signed and dated supporting statement
   3. if you are MLT or MLS certified, please indicate this fact in your supporting statement
2. Transcripts from all previously attended universities and colleges.
   1. Applicants must request to have their official transcripts sent to AHCAS.
   2. Provide foreign transcripts evaluation information, such as WES or ECE.
3. Include three (3) references* (name and email address) MUST be listed in the application prior to submission.
4. Complete personal interviews with the faculty of the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences.
5. Admission to the program is determined by the CLS Admissions Committee (Must meet the Technical Standards.)
6. As a condition of admission, all matriculating students must complete a security background check, at cost to the student. Information will be sent to you about this background check after you are granted admission to the program.
7. Students are required to have a laptop computer for participation in and completion of class activities.
8. Classes begin in the Fall Term for on-campus students.

* Reference letter forms should be completed by individuals who can evaluate your work and professional ethics, study habits, and classroom/laboratory outcomes. These individuals may include a faculty member, teaching assistant, or work supervisor. If you have volunteer experience in the field of health care, the volunteer coordinator who supervised your experience may be able to complete the form.

International Students

Applicants whose tertiary-level education has been completed at international institutions in a non-English speaking country must meet the following requirements, in addition to providing the credentials for their prospective program:

1. Take and score satisfactorily on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) if the native language is not English. A minimum satisfactory score is a total of 550 for the TOEFL PBT (or a minimum score of 79 on the TOEFL iBT(internet based)) or 6.5 for IELTS; however, TOEFL or IELTS score requirements are one of the many criteria of a student's admission, and the requirement could vary based upon previous education, GPA, and related factors. Test of Spoken English is recommended for applicants to the Pathologists' Assistant Program.
2. Submit an acceptable English translation with the transcripts if the transcripts are not in English. If the degree is not indicated on transcript, a copy of the diploma and/or certificate issued by the school is required.

A summary of TOEFL Requirements for International Students is available on the UTMB SHP Academic and Student Affairs web page.