Course Overview

The Master of Science in Pathologists' Assistant program provides comprehensive theoretical and practical training in pathology. Here's an indicative list of subjects covered in the program:

1. Gross Human Anatomy and Physiology: This is a comprehensive introductory course to integrative organ system physiology and homeostatic regulatory mechanisms.
2. Histotechnology and Laboratory Management: This course focuses on the laboratory skills and management aspects required to function in a clinical or research histology facility including specimen acquisition and fixation, tissue processing, embedding, sectioning, and staining. Paraffin based techniques with H&E/special stains are introduced.
3. General Mechanism of Disease: The course serves as a transition from the foundational modules to the organ systems courses. It focuses on the general mechanisms of disease, introducing students to microbiology and infectious disease, principles for discriminating healthy from unhealthy conditions and predicting clinical manifestations.
4. Organ System Pathology I and II: This course is a comprehensive introduction to integrative organ system pathology. Organ system pathology including interrelationships of structure and function are reinforced throughout the course. The flow of the course is intended to interphase with topic material being taught concurrently in autopsy and surgical pathology techniques.
5. Autopsy Pathology and Toxicology: This course will provide a detailed understanding of post-mortem examination procedures, toxicology, including cause of death determination and report writing. Students are exposed to basic concepts of the medicolegal investigation of death in a four-week rotation where the students receive "hands on" instruction in forensic autopsies.
6. Surgical Pathology (I-IV): Students will learn how to prepare and examine surgical specimens for diagnosis and treatment planning through clinical rotations.
>Pediatric Pathology: This rotation during the second year of study provides the student with didactic and practical experience in pediatric pathology dissection.
7. Research Methodologies: This course is designed to understand fundamentals of research, characteristics of research, research designs, methods of sampling, data collection, processing and analysis, ethical considerations and use of literature review, sources of information and organization of information.
8. Biomedical Ethics: This course is designed to introduce to the basic principles and methods of analysis from ethical theories applicable to contemporary moral problems in biomedical research and professional practice.
9. Research Capstone Project (A/B): The intent of this course is to enable to the student to learn to pursue a chosen topic through a literature search, collection and analysis of data, project report preparation and defense.

By the end of the program, students will not only gain a thorough understanding of the role and responsibilities of a Pathologists' Assistant but will also be trained to perform these duties under the supervision of a certified pathologist.

Admission Requirements

1. A bachelor's degree accepted by The Ministry of Education (MOE) in an allied health science program with majors in laboratory sciences.
2. The applicant must be registered and be appropriately classified with the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties ‘Mumaris’.
3. A satisfactory scholastic average; a minimum grade average of "good" in the bachelor’s degree.
4. A4. Alfaisal Graduates or applicants who come from a country or political entity where English is not the official language adequate proficiency in English to do graduate work, as evidenced by

   	Pathologists Assistant
   IELTS (Academic)	5.5
   TOEFL iBT	65
   STEP	80

   *English language tests are valid for three years.
5. Applicant should provide one recent letter of recommendation from professors who taught or from a manager at the workplace.
6. The graduate study application must be accompanied by a non-refundable application fee payable to Alfaisal University, which is equal to SAR 600.
7. An Interview with the applicant may be requested if necessary.

Other applicants planning to change their careers through this program may be considered by the program admission committee if they have similar or relevant backgrounds and are able to demonstrate strong interest in their applications.

Duration

Two-year, 42-credit program with a total of 4 semesters

Tuition Fees

Students are allowed to repeat a maximum of 6 CH during their study without incurring extra fees. If students exceed the allowed CH, the normal CH rate will apply.