NSXNational Skills ExchangeSign in
Back to Framework

Physicians, Pathologists

SOC 29-1222.00Job Zone 5 · Extensive Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers the full scope of physician pathologist practice — from supervised specimen examination and routine diagnostic reporting to autonomous subspecialty consultation, laboratory leadership, and organizational strategy in hospital, academic, and reference laboratory settings.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Microscopic tissue samples — examine under direct supervision to identify basic cellular patterns and common histological features in a hospital pathology laboratory.
  2. Gross pathology specimens — inspect and describe macroscopic findings following established departmental protocols during supervised surgical pathology rotations.
  3. Pathology reports — draft preliminary written summaries of findings under attending physician review in an academic medical center setting.
  4. Diagnostic terminology — apply standard medical and pathological vocabulary when documenting case observations in electronic medical record systems.
  5. Laboratory test results — interpret routine urinalysis and basic microbial assay outputs with guidance from senior pathologists in a clinical laboratory.
  6. Medical literature — read and summarize current peer-reviewed pathology publications to support case discussions under faculty mentorship.
  7. Clinical chemistry assays — assist in performing and recording hormonal and biochemical test procedures under supervision in a certified clinical laboratory.
  8. Pathologic findings — communicate preliminary observations verbally to supervising physicians during structured case review sessions.
  9. Etiology and morphology — identify fundamental disease mechanisms and tissue changes in common conditions using standard reference texts and supervised casework.
  10. Laboratory information systems — navigate medical software and database interfaces to retrieve patient test data and enter preliminary results under oversight.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Histological and cytological specimens — analyze with reduced supervision to differentiate benign from malignant cellular changes across routine surgical pathology cases.
  2. Immunology and flow cytometry data — interpret results for common hematologic and lymphoid disorders, applying established diagnostic criteria in a community hospital laboratory.
  3. Pathology reports — compose complete, well-structured written reports summarizing gross, microscopic, and ancillary findings for routine cases with minimal editorial revision.
  4. Diagnostic test orders — consult with clinical physicians to recommend and interpret appropriate ancillary studies, including PCR and fine needle aspiration specimens, in a multi-specialty practice.
  5. Disease etiology and pathogenesis — explain morphological changes and clinical significance to clinical colleagues during interdisciplinary tumor board conferences.
  6. Continuing education — attend professional pathology conferences and apply emerging diagnostic criteria to update departmental practice standards.
  7. Cytopathology specimens — evaluate FNA samples from thyroid, lymph node, and soft-tissue sites, rendering diagnoses aligned with standardized reporting systems.
  8. Molecular biology assay results — integrate PCR and molecular marker data into diagnostic conclusions for oncologic and infectious disease cases in a reference laboratory.
  9. Time management — prioritize intraoperative frozen-section consultations and urgent case sign-outs to meet clinically critical turnaround time benchmarks.
  10. Parasite and microbial test analyses — review and finalize microbiological culture and sensitivity reports for routine infectious disease workups in a clinical microbiology section.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Complex or rare tissue diagnoses — render definitive independent interpretations across the full spectrum of surgical, autopsy, and molecular pathology cases without peer review requirement.
  2. Multimodal diagnostic integration — synthesize gross pathology, histology, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and molecular biology findings to resolve diagnostically challenging cases in a tertiary referral center.
  3. Comprehensive pathology reports — author detailed reports for complex neoplastic, inflammatory, and infectious cases that meet regulatory, accreditation, and medicolegal documentation standards.
  4. Surgeon and clinician consultation — provide real-time intraoperative guidance and post-operative diagnostic clarification to multidisciplinary teams managing high-acuity patients.
  5. Critical clinical judgments — apply advanced inductive and deductive reasoning to distinguish mimicking entities and recommend appropriate clinical management pathways in ambiguous cases.
  6. Quality and safety monitoring — evaluate laboratory turnaround times, diagnostic accuracy metrics, and error trends to drive continuous improvement within the pathology department.
  7. Scientific literature integration — critically appraise newly published diagnostic criteria and incorporate validated methods into autonomous clinical practice.
  8. Subspecialty second opinions — provide expert consultative review of referred cases from outside institutions, issuing authoritative diagnostic opinions in neuropathology, dermatopathology, or oncologic pathology.
  9. Trainee instruction — design case-based teaching materials and conduct structured microscopy sessions to develop diagnostic competency in pathology residents and medical students.
  10. Data analysis and reporting tools — leverage spreadsheet, database, and enterprise medical software platforms to perform population-level case audits and outcome analyses for departmental quality programs.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Departmental diagnostic standards — establish and govern institution-wide pathology protocols, reporting guidelines, and quality benchmarks across all subspecialty sections.
  2. Strategic laboratory development — lead the evaluation, validation, and implementation of next-generation molecular and digital pathology platforms to advance organizational diagnostic capability.
  3. Organizational pathology vision — define the long-range scientific and operational direction of a pathology department or health system laboratory network in alignment with institutional priorities.
  4. Faculty and workforce development — mentor junior pathologists, structure competency-based training curricula, and manage personnel resources to build a high-performing, academically productive team.
  5. Multidisciplinary clinical leadership — represent pathology at executive-level tumor boards, patient safety committees, and health system leadership forums, translating diagnostic insights into system-wide clinical policy.
  6. Research and innovation agenda — design and oversee original investigative studies in disease pathogenesis or diagnostic methodology, securing extramural funding and publishing findings in high-impact journals.
  7. Accreditation and regulatory stewardship — assume accountability for CAP, Joint Commission, and CMS laboratory compliance, directing corrective actions and maintaining inspection-readiness across all testing sections.
  8. Interprofessional knowledge dissemination — present complex pathologic findings and emerging science at national conferences, shaping field-wide diagnostic standards and professional society guidelines.
  9. Health system resource and financial oversight — direct laboratory budgeting, billing operations, and ERP-integrated administrative processes to ensure fiscal sustainability of pathology services.
  10. Equity and access in diagnostic care — champion initiatives that expand access to advanced pathology diagnostics for underserved populations, influencing policy and resource allocation at regional or national scale.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

A 4-level framework describing how a worker at each mastery level uses, directs, and evaluates AI tools in this occupation. Each statement cites its evidence inline. Subscribe for $19.99/mo to read the full framework — or sign in if you have a subscription.

  1. Emerging
  2. Developing
  3. Proficient
  4. Advanced
Monthly subscription · Stripe-hosted · unlocks AI-at-Work and Pathsmith™ Durable Skills across the full library

Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework

Sources:Pathsmith™ Durable SkillsPathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Ten durable-skill domains mapped to four proficiency levels for this occupation. Subscribe to unlock the full Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework across all 1,016 occupations.

Monthly subscription · Stripe-hosted · unlocks AI-at-Work and Pathsmith™ Durable Skills across the full library
Show O*NET source anchors64 anchors · skillscrosswalk.com

O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

Suggest an O*NET correction

Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Anatomic Pathologist · Animal Pathologist · Autopsy Pathologist · Chemical Pathologist · Clinical Pathologist · Cytologist · Cytopathologist · Dermatopathologist · DO Physician (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Physician) · Forensic Pathologist · Hematopathologist · Histopathologist
RAPIDS apprenticeships
—
O*NET skills
Reading ComprehensionWritingCritical ThinkingActive ListeningScienceActive LearningComplex Problem SolvingSpeakingJudgment and Decision MakingMonitoringTime ManagementInstructingManagement of Personnel ResourcesLearning StrategiesSocial PerceptivenessMathematicsPersuasionNegotiationService OrientationSystems AnalysisSystems EvaluationCoordination
Knowledge domains
Medicine and DentistryBiologyEnglish LanguageEducation and TrainingCustomer and Personal ServiceChemistryAdministration and ManagementComputers and Electronics
Abilities
Inductive ReasoningProblem SensitivityOral ComprehensionWritten ExpressionDeductive ReasoningOral ExpressionWritten ComprehensionNear VisionSpeech ClarityInformation Ordering
Work styles
Intellectual CuriosityAttention to DetailDependabilityIntegrityCautiousnessAchievement Orientation
Technology
Accounting softwareMedical softwareInformation retrieval or search softwareBilling and invoicing softwareData base management system softwareData base user interface and query softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite softwarePresentation softwareEnterprise resource planning ERP software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Examine microscopic samples to identify diseases or other abnormalities.
  2. Diagnose diseases or study medical conditions, using techniques such as gross pathology, histology, cytology, cytopathology, clinical chemistry, immunology, flow cytometry, or molecular biology.
  3. Write pathology reports summarizing analyses, results, and conclusions.
  4. Communicate pathologic findings to surgeons or other physicians.
  5. Identify the etiology, pathogenesis, morphological change, and clinical significance of diseases.
  6. Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in pathology.
  7. Consult with physicians about ordering and interpreting tests or providing treatments.
  8. Analyze and interpret results from tests, such as microbial or parasite tests, urine analyses, hormonal assays, fine needle aspirations (FNAs), and polymerase chain reactions (PCRs).
CIP education codes
51.120151.120261.020861.050261.180161.180261.180361.180461.180561.180661.180761.180861.180961.181061.181161.181261.181361.181461.181561.1899

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me®, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.