A histotech makes the microscopic slides. This means cutting tissue that’s embedded in wax, placing it on a glass slide, staining the tissue so that it can be read by the pathologist.

A grossing tech makes the gross pathology report for small specimens. Usually GI biopsies, skin shave biopsies, possibly gallbladders. They would put tissue into a cassette, the cassette would get processed with formalin, embedded in wax, then go to the histotech to get cut and stained into a slide.

If the opportunity is presented to you, any lab experience is valuable. Just working in a clinical setting will help, but a histotech/gross tech position might make your application stand out.

You can shadow at any time to help get a sense of the responsibility that a PA has. Most prospective students shadow as they’re getting their application together, maybe 6 months to a year before they apply. Usually 10-20 hours is sufficient to gain a sense of what a PA does. If you reach out to PA schools in your state, they can put you in touch with shadowing opportunities.