Anatomical pathology technician
Career outlook for anatomical pathology technician
Figures and forecasts for roles at the same level, which require similar skills and qualifications.
Average UK salary
£29,120
Currently employed in Scotland
5,000
Average UK salary
£29,120
Currently employed in Scotland
5,000
"LMI for All" supplies our salary and employment status information. "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures.
Due to COVID-19 the jobs market is constantly changing. Some of the information may not reflect the current situation.
What's it like?
You'd help doctors conduct post-mortems to discover how and why a person died suddenly.
You'd provide a sensitive and tactful service to bereaved families, giving them answers about the death of their loved one.
During a post-mortem, you would work carefully alongside a specialist doctor - the pathologist - as they dissect the body.
You would:
- Pass them instruments, such as scalpels
- Take tissue samples
- Weigh organs as they are removed from a body
- Take samples for lab analysis
- Accurately record the findings of the examination
After a post-mortem, you'd help to reconstruct and clean the body for storage or to for collection by an undertaker.
You'd run the mortuary efficiently to meet legal and medical requirements, including health and safety rules.
You would:
- Make sure instruments are clean, sterile and ready for use
- Receive bodies into the mortuary at short notice
- Place the deceased person into cold storage units
- Keep accurate records as required by law
- Keep track of the property and samples of the deceased person
You would work closely with doctors, the police, the procurator fiscal and the relatives of those who have died.
With experience, you could assist forensic pathologists to examine murder victims.
Most jobs are within the National Health Service though you could also work with local authority's mortuary facilities. You can check the NHS salary for this role in the Agenda for Change pay rate guide on the NHS Careers website.
Working conditions
Hours
Environment
UK employment status
Full-time
60%
Part-time
28%
Self employed
12%
Create a qualification route
We’ve found some examples of the qualifications that could help you get this job.
Discover my routeTop skills
Here are some of the skills needed for this job. Sign in to see how your skills match up.
- Verbal communication
- Evaluating
- Observation
- Researching
- Respecting
- Attention to detail
- Understanding
Skills Explorer
Your skills can help you choose the career that’s right for you. You can build your skills through work, study or activities you do in your spare time.
To understand more, have a look at What are my skills?
Our Skills Explorer tool will help you understand what skills you have and match them to jobs that might suit you.
Use the Skills Explorer toolGetting in
Entry requirements for courses can change. Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you’ll need.
Qualifications
You would need four to five subjects at Standard Grade or National 5.
Useful subjects
- English
- Maths
- Science subject - Biology preferred
You will also need
You would be expected to attend a Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) approved training course. This can be done on a day-release basis or a two-week residential course.
Helpful to have
Knowledge of the practices of different religions.
Related industries
