Medical dissection and preparation assistant

General information about this apprenticeship:

You work in the training occupation as a medical dissection and preparation assistant in teaching sections and autopsies. Furthermore, medical preparations such as skeleton parts, organs or tissue are prepared. This profession also includes working in a pathological, anatomical or forensic institute. The place of use would therefore be in a pathology department, in an examination laboratory or in the department of a university clinic. You can also work in a private research institute.

Which requirements play an important role for this job?

First of all, it is important to have the qualities of thoroughness and diligence, since one must always ensure proper sterilization and disinfection of the instruments and the workplace. Discretion is also important, since data from the deceased must be archived and recorded. The sight of the dead should not have any influence on one's own psyche and extensive knowledge of biology and chemistry is extremely important in advance. Craftsmanship also plays an important role. In order to be able to practice this apprenticeship, an intermediate qualification would be a prerequisite. Also a medical certificate.

Important information on the training content and everyday life:

The duration of the training to become a medical dissection and preparation assistant is one year, which includes six months of work experience. During training, you ensure constant compliance with the proper hygiene regulations in the corresponding work rooms. The trainee prepares the necessary equipment and instruments and also takes over the sterilization, for example after the autopsy.

The following work steps are further training content:

• The manufacture of pathological or anatomical preparations.
• Likewise, the exposure of individual organs.
• The taking of commercial samples to determine the corresponding pathogens. Such a removal is required, for example, to determine the cause of death or to determine diseased trades.
• Sewing up opening cuts.
• Archiving and documenting autopsies.

The locations of this training occupation in detail

You work as a medical dissection/preparation assistant mainly in forensic medicine institutes, for example at university clinics or universities. The location can also be a research institute in the field of pathology and anatomy, as well as in a hospital.

Important information about remuneration and development opportunities:

It is important to know that you do not receive any remuneration in the school education. Nevertheless, you can count on the reimbursement of examination fees, admission fees and school fees. Possible development opportunities can be the specialist qualification to become a senior section assistant, medical studies and a pathology specialization. The average salary after training is around 2500 euros gross .

(Image source: Federal Employment Agency)