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Histology Technician

Healthcare

Prepare histological slides from tissue sections for microscopic examination and diagnosis by pathologists. May assist with research studies.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

ScienceAllied Health

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Cut sections of body tissues for microscopic examination, using microtomes.
  2. 2Embed tissue specimens into paraffin wax blocks, or infiltrate tissue specimens with wax.
  3. 3Mount tissue specimens on glass slides.
  4. 4Stain tissue specimens with dyes or other chemicals to make cell details visible under microscopes.
  5. 5Freeze tissue specimens.
  6. 6Operate computerized laboratory equipment to dehydrate, decalcify, or microincinerate tissue samples.
  7. 7Archive diagnostic material, such as histologic slides and blocks.
  8. 8Maintain laboratory equipment, such as microscopes, mass spectrometers, microtomes, immunostainers, tissue processors, embedding centers, and water baths.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • HT
  • Mohs Tech
  • Histologist
  • Histologic Aide
  • Histotechnician
  • Histology Assistant
  • Histology Consultant
  • Histology Coordinator
  • Histology Technicians
  • Clinical Histology Tech

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. Typical entry

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationAssociate's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

ChemistryDraws directly on Chemistry — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BiologyDraws directly on Biology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional ScienceDraws directly on Biology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administrative — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Chemistry77%

    Chemistry

  • Biology75%

    BiologyAdditional Science

  • English Language66%

    English

  • Administrative61%

    Business

  • Administration and Management56%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Education and Training54%

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicNot at all
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentEvery day
  • Time walking or movingA little
  • Hands-on work with tools or objectsAlmost all the time

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Perform quality control analyses to ensure accuracy of test results.
  • Load slides onto staining equipment.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

0%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Medical Laboratory Technologist

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Matriculation

One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.

12–24 months

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Histology Technicians

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org