[Histonet] Unregistered HT

Wed Sep 11 14:07:34 CDT 2013

So as not to have my inbox completely filled with emails...
None of the below statements was meant in any way as disrespectful to ANYONE!
1. "Old timers".  Just a term I have heard used by people who have been in the field for a long time.  I've been doing histology since 1999...I do not consider myself one of these yet.  
2. A degree.  I am not saying that all "old timers" are without a degree or any post HS education.  Correct, many non-degreed workers are better than a degreed one.  I just think someone with a college degree should be paid accordingly.  If they are horrible at their job...they will probably be fired.  If you didn't finish your degree and still want to...go do it.
3. Chill out people...it's Wednesday...sheesh...  Some of the emails I have got offline completely demonstrate my point...give respect and you will be respected.  If you send me a tacky email...I'm probably going to be tacky right back to you...
4. These were all just my opinions...take it or leave it.

I hope everyone has a great rest of your day, and some people I think need to go home and have a drink =)

Sarah Goebel-Dysart, BA, HT(ASCP), QIHC (ASCP)
Histotechnologist
Mirna Therapeutics
2150 Woodward Street
Suite 100
Austin, Texas  78744
(512)901-0900 ext. 6912

-----Original Message-----
From: Marcum, Pamela A [mailto:PAMarcum <@t> uams.edu] 
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 1:57 PM
To: Sarah Dysart; Blazek, Linda; Rene J Buesa; Clare Thornton; 'Emily Sours'
Cc: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: RE: [Histonet] Unregistered HT

Sorry Sarah some of us old timers do have BS and even MS degrees and still have to fight for every dime.  The whole field needs to be improved without any thought of how long someone has been in Histology.  We have the issue of people who have HTs being called HTLs due to the way the two registries were created.  

In the early 1980s the only thing you could get was the HT registry no matter how much education you had worked to get.  Then we got the HTL for management skills as it was stated and for several years HTs could grandfather in with no additional education above HS.  Then in about 1984 the HTL started to require the education level of BS.  Unfortunately, since the two registries were to some extend mixed by the overlap of needing or not needing a degree the whole field is confused about who is what.  I have been called a histologist before I took my HT (with a BS) and HTL although I did not bother to grandfather in.   Yet I am called both and really don't care which I am called as long as I am respected.   An MS made no difference either way.

The real issue is most administration people and HR Departments don't know the difference between an HT and HTL and have no idea what to do.  I have seen HTs with a HS call themselves HTLs and no one knew the difference at the administration/HR levels.  (Some of those older people who started and may not even have a HS degree yet; are among the best histologist I have seen in 50 years.  Some with BS and/or MS degrees were terrible.  Some MTs came over with CP pay and could be great or awful.)  Education is not answer.  The issue is straightening out who we are and what we do as either registry area. 

Here we had a salary survey and found most of the employers just paid the same for everything to avoid the issue or due to total misunderstanding of their even being a difference.  Now everyone is the same.  No one knew how to solve it to everyone's satisfaction and the histologist were not asked.  If you can say you have a BS you may get paid a little higher and only have an HT and be called an HTL.  

Pam Marcum

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Sarah Dysart
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 1:30 PM
To: Blazek, Linda; Rene J Buesa; Clare Thornton; 'Emily Sours'
Cc: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: RE: [Histonet] Unregistered HT

I don't think that histotechs are disrespected at all.  There is always going to be that one person in any job that thinks they are better than you because of whatever reason.  HTs are not the highest paid people in the lab (or the lowest for that matter), and I think a lot of times people in management, PhD, or MD positions see us in a light that mirrors our salaries.  The fact of the matter is these days you have to basically have a college degree to become a HT, and hopefully as the "old-timers" who didn't have to have a degree retire out of the field we will be paid more according to the education that a lot of us paid so much money to obtain.

I still hold firm to the belief that you get what you give.  If you act like someone who should be disrespected you will be.  If you suggest new ideas for improvement, go over and beyond your "pay grade", then eventually you will be paid for that financially and with respect. 

If I couldn't live like that I think that would be a very difficult and frustrating way to live every day.  Therefore, I choose to have a good attitude about being away from my family everyday (because I have to have a job), and do the best I can to make others have a reason to respect me.

Just my two cents...I will step down from my soapbox now =)

Sarah Goebel-Dysart, BA, HT(ASCP), QIHC (ASCP) Histotechnologist Mirna Therapeutics
2150 Woodward Street
Suite 100
Austin, Texas  78744
(512)901-0900 ext. 6912

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Blazek, Linda
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 1:15 PM
To: Rene J Buesa; Clare Thornton; 'Emily Sours'
Cc: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: RE: [Histonet] Unregistered HT

Wow René, I didn't realize you had such a demeaning and disrespected career.  I have been in this profession for almost 40 years.  I have worked for some of the greatest pathologists you could ask for.  They have respected me, asked my opinions and shared a great deal of time at the microscope with me.  Maybe it has to do with attitude......

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Rene J Buesa
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 1:30 PM
To: Clare Thornton; 'Emily Sours'
Cc: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: Re: [Histonet] Unregistered HT

The issue remains the WE cannot impose on others how we are viewed. No matter how many brain storming meetings there are about "demanding" respect the issue remains that those who have to respect us have to do so.
Short of a national strike (absolutely impossible to achieve) or a national union (that will be fought to the death) the only thing we can do is to stand for our rights of being treated as professionals every time somebody, either pathologist or administrator, disrespects us. And who, may I ask, will be able to do that in an economic situation as the present one? Who is going to risk his or her job just "to demand respect"?
That is an illusion. Unfortunately the economic situation impedes any action and those who can will keep disrespecting us as long as they can get away with it.
Having a good "position statement" about "what does it mean to be a professional" is an exercise in futility that probably for those who wrote it may have meant being able to have 1 or 2 days paid without actual work to do.
René J.

________________________________
From: Clare Thornton <CThornton <@t> dahlchase.com>
To: Clare Thornton <CThornton <@t> dahlchase.com>; 'Emily Sours' <talulahgosh <@t> gmail.com>
Cc: "histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu" <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 1:20 PM
Subject: RE: [Histonet] Unregistered HT

My apologies, the editorial was in the September 2011 issue of Journal of Histotechnology.  I have a pdf of it, will be happy to email.

Clare J. Thornton, HTL(ASCP)QIHC
Assistant Histology Supervisor
Dahl-Chase Diagnostic Services
417 State Street, Suite 540
Bangor, ME 04401
cthornton <@t> dahlchase.com

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Clare Thornton
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 10:20 AM
To: 'Emily Sours'
Cc: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: RE: [Histonet] Unregistered HT

Look for a position paper presented by members of the NSH BOD in the Journal of Histotechnology after the national convention in Vancouver last year.  I'm not sure of the exact issue (thought I still had it on my desk).  This will explain what being a laboratory professional is and why it is so important that as histotechnologists we are viewed as such.

Clare J. Thornton, HTL(ASCP)QIHC 
Assistant Histology Supervisor
Dahl-Chase Diagnostic Services
417 State Street, Suite 540
Bangor, ME 04401
cthornton <@t> dahlchase.com

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Emily Sours
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 9:58 AM
Cc: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: Re: [Histonet] Unregistered HT

Do you get paid more with that title? Just curious, I'm not sure what "laboratory professional" means, as I'm not in that kind of lab.
Or is it a respect thing?

Emily

"By bitching and bitching and bitching, they could exhaust the drama of their own horror stories. Grow bored. Only then could they accept a new story for their lives. Move forward."

-Chuck Palahniuk, "Haunted"

On Tue, Sep 10, 2013 at 7:32 PM, Jennifer MacDonald <JMacDonald <@t> mtsac.edu>wrote:

> As long as we do not need certification, licensure and minium 
> education requirements we will not be recognized as Laboratory Professionals.
>
>
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