[Histonet] Creating an HT from a BS

[Lee & Peggy Wenk]

For HT, after the Jan. 1, 2005 deadline, there will still be 2 routes
1. Completion of a NAACLS accredited HT program. (high school diploma
through any amount of college is still OK).
2. Associate degree with 20 credits biology/chemistry (combined) plus 1 year
on-the-job (OJT) training.

OJT for histology means they have worked with tissue, and have fixed,
processed, embedded, sectioned, stained, and did lab math and safety and
made solutions. So someone who was just a lab assistant would not be
qualified to take it, if all they did was computer work, run the H&E
machine, labeled slides and cleaned up. Microtomy and embedding must be
included.

However, if the person worked as a tech only in the IHC lab, or only in EM,
they could take the exam, because they are cutting and staining, etc. The
ASCP BOR requirements does NOT state that it has to be paraffin only, or
histology stains only. But they would still have to know all about the
histology procedures to pass the exam, and they would still have to do the
practical exam (though if they could do it well on methacrylate embedded
tissues, these would be acceptable).

So if your person has the BS in biology with at least 20 credits in biology
and chemistry combined, she can take the HT exam once she gets 1 year full
time histology experience.

If this person has the BS with 30 credit hours of biology/chemistry
combined, plus the 1 year OJT (same criteria), she can take the HTL exam.

The only one who cannot take the HT exam after Jan. 1, 2005 would be someone
with less than the associate degree + 20 credits biology/chemistry + 1 yr
OJT. So the high school graduate or the person with only a couple college
courses would not be able to take the HT exam, if they didn't first take the
HT exam before Jan. 1, 2005.

Peggy A. Wenk, HTL(ASCP)SLS
William Beaumont Hospital
Royal Oak, MI 48073

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dawson, Glen" <GDawson <@t> Milw.Dynacare.com>
To: <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 1:08 PM
Subject: [Histonet] Creating an HT from a BS


> All,
>
> I know we've talked about this topic many times but I have a specific case
I
> would appreciate some help with.  There is a lab helper who has been
> performing various types of labwork for years and has been working in
> histology now for a couple of months.  She has a BS in biology and I would
> like to help her become a registered histotech.  My hope is that, with so
> much previous lab experience as well as the bachelor's degree under her
> belt, she can sneak in under the bench-trained tech category before the
2005
> deadline.  Taking an accredited HT program is not a possibility for her as
> she would need to relocate to a place that offers a program which she
could
> not currently afford anyway.  Could anyone give me an idea about the
> feasibility of this idea?
>
> Thank-you in Advance,
>
> Glen Dawson  BS, HT & QIHC (ASCP)
> Lead IHC Technologist
> Milwaukee, WI
>
>
>
>
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