# Histology Technicians

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

- **SOC code:** 29-2012.01
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-2012-01
- **Also known as:** Histologic Technician (HT), Histologist, Histology Technician (HT), Histotechnician, Clinical Histology Technician (Clinical Histology Tech), Histology Consultant, Histology Coordinator, Certified Histologic Technician (Certified Histologic Tech)
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- Cut sections of body tissues for microscopic examination, using microtomes.
- Embed tissue specimens into paraffin wax blocks, or infiltrate tissue specimens with wax.
- Mount tissue specimens on glass slides.
- Stain tissue specimens with dyes or other chemicals to make cell details visible under microscopes.
- Freeze tissue specimens.
- Operate computerized laboratory equipment to dehydrate, decalcify, or microincinerate tissue samples.
- Archive diagnostic material, such as histologic slides and blocks.
- Maintain laboratory equipment, such as microscopes, mass spectrometers, microtomes, immunostainers, tissue processors, embedding centers, and water baths.

**Emerging tasks** (O*NET):
- Load slides onto staining equipment.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- Near Vision _(ability)_
- Chemistry _(knowledge)_
- Biology _(knowledge)_
- Finger Dexterity _(ability)_
- Oral Comprehension _(ability)_
- Active Listening _(essential_skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(essential_skill)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(ability)_
- Arm-Hand Steadiness _(ability)_
- Reading Comprehension _(essential_skill)_
- Written Comprehension _(ability)_
- Problem Sensitivity _(ability)_

**Skills in demand:**
- Chemistry _(Specialized Skill)_
- Finger Dexterity _(Common Skill)_
- Biology _(Specialized Skill)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(Common Skill)_
- Active Listening _(Common Skill)_
- Reading Comprehension _(Common Skill)_
- Information Ordering _(Specialized Skill)_
- English Language _(Common Skill)_
- Complex Problem Solving _(Common Skill)_
- Speech Recognition _(Specialized Skill)_
- Inductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- MEDITECH software _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Access _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Excel _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Office software _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Outlook _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Word _(hot technology)_
- Brady Specimen Labeling System
- Cerner Millennium
- Laboratory information system LIS
- Specimen labeling system software

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 35th percentile (Moderate) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 45th percentile (Moderate) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 29th percentile (Low) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 46th percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** no — task structure, not who actually works remote.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
- **AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE)** (Felten, Raj & Seamans) — academic. https://github.com/AIOE-Data/AIOE
- **Frey & Osborne (2013)** (frey-osborne-automation) — academic. https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-future-of-employment/
- **Dingel & Neiman (2020)** (dingel-neiman-workathome) — academic. https://github.com/jdingel/DingelNeiman-workathome

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_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-2012-01_