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Bachelor of Science in Histotechnology Technical Standards

The overall goal of the Histotechnology degree program is to prepare each student to become a competent histotechnologist with the capability to work in diverse environments and to meet the health care needs in the state of Mississippi and abroad. In an effort to achieve this goal, students must successfully complete the rigorous requirements of the program which includes didactic, clinical, and research experiences to help students achieve entry level competencies, certification, and employment.

It is essential that students possess certain technical abilities and skills to be successful histotechnologists. Therefore, the program has established technical standards that represent the essential non-academic abilities and skills required for admission and progression in the program. The following technical standards are required of Histotechnology students (with or without reasonable accommodation):

Behavioral and social skills

• Follow oral and written instructions to correctly perform laboratory procedures.
• Possess both time management and organizational skills to complete professional and technical tasks within realistic timeframes.
• Display emotional maturity and intellectual stability necessary to exercise appropriate judgment.
• Maintain a professional attitude and successfully perform procedures while in stressful situations (e.g., task-related uncertainty, emergent demands, and distracting environment).
• Recognize potentially hazardous materials, equipment, and situations and respond in a manner that prevents injury to self and others.
• Adapt to working with biological and chemical agents.
• Demonstrate sufficient interpersonal skills and have the ability to function and collaborate well with a team.
• Take initiative for self-learning.
• Behave with integrity, objectivity, and confidentiality when participating in all aspects of the program.
• Demonstrate compassion, empathy, and respect for others regardless of differences.

Conceptual, integrative, and quantitative skills

• Possess the ability to measure, calculate, analyze, integrate, interpret, synthesize, evaluate, and record data.
• Adapt, apply, and transfer knowledge from one situation to another.
• Apply critical thinking skills to solve challenging problems.
• Comprehend three-dimensional and spatial relationships of biological structures.

Communication skills

• Communicate in English with faculty members, fellow students, staff, and other healthcare professionals in oral and written form.
• Obtain and maintain information and material for didactic and clinical learning experiences.
• Effectively articulate instruction to others.
• Establish rapport with peers, faculty, and other members of a healthcare team.
• Have knowledge of basic computer skills with the ability to learn new technologies.

Physical and motor skills

• Possess fine motor skills to cut, stain, and mount biological material on slides.
• Have dexterity with fingers, wrists, hands, and arms.
• Operate a compound light microscope.
• Maneuver freely and safely in a laboratory and around instruments.
• Perform continuous physical work, often requiring repetitive movements and/or prolonged sitting or standing.
• Operate and troubleshoot laboratory equipment (e.g., microtome) to perform laboratory procedures.
• Use an electronic keyboard or keypad on instruments to calculate, record, evaluate, and/or transmit laboratory information.

Sensory and observational skills

• Observe laboratory demonstrations of diagnostic procedures in which biological specimens and chemicals are used.
• Use visual ability to distinguish color, consistency, and clarity sufficient to analyze specimens and reagents.
• Observe and discriminate among fine structural and color differences of specimens using a microscope.
• Read and comprehend alphanumeric text and color graphs displayed in print and on a video monitor.

Academic accommodations

UMMC is committed to ensuring equal access to a quality education for qualified students through the provision of reasonable academic accommodations which support UMMC standards and academic integrity. UMMC policy provides for reasonable academic accommodations to be made for students with verified disabilities on an individualized and flexible basis as specified under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).

UMMC provides reasonable academic accommodations to students on campus who request accommodations and who meet eligibility criteria. For more information or to request academic accommodations, individuals should go to the Office for Student Success webpage and complete the Request Academic Accommodations online form.