Pathologist assistants in a Pathology Department: perceptions of their changing role.

Objective: This study aimed to understand the dynamics of including Pathologists' Assistants in a surgical pathology department.

Methods: A qualitative ethnographic study employed covert participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Field notes and interview transcripts were descriptively analysed to identify categories.

Pathologists' assistants, an essential healthcare workforce: the experience of a surgical pathology department in Italy.

Aims: The progressive increase of both the workload and the complexity of laboratory procedures, along with shortage of staff, has made evident the need to increase the efficiency in the pathology departments. To support the pathologists, a new technical professional role, the pathologists' assistant (PA), has been introduced.

Methods: We decided to carry out a retrospective analysis on PAs' performance.