Description
Diagnose diseases and conduct lab tests using organs, body tissues, and fluids. Includes medical examiners.
- • Testify in depositions or trials as an expert witness.
- • Review cases by analyzing autopsies, laboratory findings, or case investigation reports.
- • Manage medical laboratories.
- • Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in pathology.
- • Develop or adopt new tests or instruments to improve diagnosis of diseases.
- • Educate physicians, students, and other personnel in medical laboratory professions, such as medical technology, cytotechnology, or histotechnology.
- • Conduct research and present scientific findings.
- • Perform autopsies to determine causes of deaths.
- • Plan and supervise the work of the pathology staff, residents, or visiting pathologists.
- • Obtain specimens by performing procedures, such as biopsies or fine needle aspirations (FNAs) of superficial nodules.
- • Identify the etiology, pathogenesis, morphological change, and clinical significance of diseases.
- • Diagnose infections, such as Hepatitis B and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), by conducting tests to detect the antibodies that patients' immune systems make to fight such infections.
- • Conduct genetic analyses of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or chromosomes to diagnose small biopsies and cell samples.
- • Write pathology reports summarizing analyses, results, and conclusions.
- • Analyze and interpret results from tests, such as microbial or parasite tests, urine analyses, hormonal assays, fine needle aspirations (FNAs), and polymerase chain reactions (PCRs).
- • Communicate pathologic findings to surgeons or other physicians.
- • Consult with physicians about ordering and interpreting tests or providing treatments.
- • Examine microscopic samples to identify diseases or other abnormalities.
- • Diagnose diseases or study medical conditions, using techniques such as gross pathology, histology, cytology, cytopathology, clinical chemistry, immunology, flow cytometry, or molecular biology.
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Healthcare & Human Services
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026
