Grossing Assistant - Per Diem - Varied - La Jolla

This is a casual/per diem position with varied shifts (generally 9:00am-5:30pm), Monday-Friday located at our Scripps Memorial campus in La Jolla. 

Join the Scripps Health team and work alongside passionate caregivers and provide patient-centered healthcare. Receive endless appreciation while you build a rewarding career with one of the most respected healthcare organizations nationwide. 

Why join Scripps Health? 

At Scripps Health, your ambition is empowered and your abilities are appreciated:

• Nearly a quarter of our employees have been with Scripps Health for over 10 years.
• Scripps is a Great Place to Work Certified company for 2025.
• Scripps Health has been consistently ranked as a top employer for women, millennials, diversity, and as an overall workplace by various national publications.
• Beckers Healthcare ranked Scripps Health on its 2024 list of 150 top places to work in health care.
• We have transitional and professional development programs to create a learning environment that enables you to thrive in your specific field as well as in your overall career.
• Our specialties have been nationally recognized for quality in areas such as cardiovascular care, oncology, orthopedics, geriatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and gastroenterology.

Why join this team?

The Grossing Assistant works closely with surgical pathology and the Scripps Clinic Medical Group pathologists to grossly describe a wide variety of specimens ultimately leading to a diagnosis of all tissue. This role is responsible for describing the tissue seen in detail according to our policies and procedures. Working as a Grossing Assistant for Scripps would be an opportunity to help patients get the results they need in the timely manner that they deserve. 

Responsibilities include:

• Preparation and description of small specimens, including simple slicing of tissues that is entirely submitted for microscopic examination. This includes: obtaining clinical history, describing gross features, and preparing tissues for histologic processing.
• Documents activities and results consistently, thoroughly and legibly; proofread and double checks own work to minimize errors.
• Demonstrates proficiency with cutting frozen section blocks and staining frozen section and touch preparation slides, in a timely manner, including photographing gross specimens, all while ensuring performance and safety standards are met.
• Assists with specimen tracking, accessioning, cleaning, answers phones and provides clerical support for the laboratory.
• Ensures inventory and supplies are stocked appropriately.
• Serves as a liaison for the laboratory and interacts with physicians, nurses and customers to provide a positive outcome.

Required Skills:

• Good critical thinking and analytical skills. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient with medical terminology, with an understanding of computer systems.
• Ability to describe gross features of tissues for processing simple surgical specimens according to professional standards.

Required Education:

• An earned associate degree in a chemical or biological science or medical laboratory technology obtained from an accredited institution, OR
• Education/training equivalent to the above that includes: 
  • 60 semester hours or equivalent from an accredited institution. This education must include 24 semester hours of medical technology courses, OR 24 semester hours of science courses that include 6 semester hours of chemistry, 6 semester hours of biology, and 12 semester hours of chemistry, biology or medical laboratory technology in any combination. Individuals who attended foreign schools must have an evaluation of their credentials determining equivalency of their education to education obtained in the United States. AND
  • Completion of at least 3 months of documented laboratory training in each specialty prior to performing high complexity testing, at the time of hire or within 3 months of employment. 

     

Preferred Education/Experience/Specialized Skills/Certification:

• Tissue processing experience preferred.
• Frozen section experience preferred.
• Documentation of specified training for the processing of surgical specimens.