Mohs Histotechnician - Davie Dermatology
Schedule is built around the Mohs surgery calendar; 7:45 - 4:45 estimated work day.
Reports to: Mohs surgeon, Office manager, Practice owners.
Education
High School Diploma required. Associate's degree or higher in histotechnology, biology, or a related science preferred. HT (ASCP) or HTL (ASCP) certification strongly preferred; 1 - 5 years of frozen section experience preferred, Mohs frozen sections strongly preferred. Candidates with strong general histology or surgical pathology grossing/embedding experience who are new to Mohs may be considered and trained on our technique.
Physical Requirements
Prolonged sitting and standing at the cryostat, with repetitive fine motor hand and wrist motion, is required for most of the workday. Requires sustained close visual work at the microscope and cryostat, color discrimination for stain quality assessment, and manual dexterity sufficient to handle and orient tissue specimens measuring only a few millimeters. Regular exposure to cold work surfaces, cryostat temperatures, and laboratory chemicals including alcohols, xylene or xylene substitute, formalin, and stains. Bending, stooping, and reaching to access supplies and storage is frequently required. May be required to lift up to 50 lbs at times.
Skills/Knowledge
This individual must have a thorough knowledge of frozen section technique and cryostat operation, including embedding fresh tissue to obtain complete peripheral and deep margins in a single plane, sectioning at 5–7 microns, and routine H&E staining. Must understand tissue mapping, specimen orientation, inking, and the accessioning process that ties every section back to the correct patient, stage, and anatomic site. Working knowledge of CLIA requirements for a physician office laboratory, OSHA and bloodborne pathogen standards, chemical hygiene and SDS handling, biohazard waste disposal, reagent and control logs, cryostat decontamination, quality control documentation, and slide and block retention requirements is expected. Must be able to troubleshoot section quality problems (chatter, folds, incomplete margins, staining variability) independently and correct them without repeated re-cuts. Must be able to work at speed under time pressure without sacrificing quality, as the patient remains in the office between stages, and must effectively communicate with staff, physicians, and patients.
Basic Function
The Mohs Histotechnician prepares high-quality frozen sections that allow the Mohs surgeon to read complete surgical margins accurately and quickly. With a collaborative team focus, the Histotechnician performs all functions of the in-office Mohs laboratory: receiving and accessioning specimens from the surgical suite with correct patient identification and mapping, embedding, sectioning, staining, coverslipping, labeling, and delivering completed slides to the physician. The Histotechnician maintains the cryostat, microtome blades, reagents, stains, and laboratory supply inventory; keeps daily and monthly QC, temperature, and maintenance logs current and inspection-ready; prepares and routes any tissue sent to an outside dermatopathology laboratory for permanent sections or immunostains; and maintains slide and block storage and retention. Additionally, cleaning and sterilization of instruments daily as needed. Follows practice procedures to achieve the highest levels of patient service and satisfaction. The Histotechnician works under the supervision of the practice physicians in all areas of laboratory practice.
The duties, responsibilities, qualifications, physical conditions and other statements contained herein represent the current general nature of the job described, and are subject to change at any time, with or without notice. This job description does not limit in any way the assignments that may be given to an employee in the job, and employees are expected to perform any and all duties assigned by their supervisor willingly and without reservation.
Visit our website for more information: www.daviedermatology.com
Job Type: Full-time
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
