[Histonet] Dumbing down the practical???

[TERRI BRAUD]

I have a question for all those on the list who have taken the HT practical. 
  Why do you think that the practical exam does not cover the material that 
it used to?  Having taken mine in 1981, and then, later as a supervisor, 
having trained 8 OJT's to sucessful completion of their certification, I 
have observed that the practical is not near the test that it used to be.  
There is no CNS tissue, no decalcified tissue, no submission of both a 
special stain and a H&E from the same block. Just one slide, one block, one 
stain.  Also how is the effect of fully automated special stainers vs 
prepared kits vs "homemade" solutions being taken into account?  There isn't 
even an informational question pertaining to this so that the ASCP could 
begin to see the impact of the technology in our HT learning process?  Will 
the technician that can successfully load an autostainer be as effective in 
troubleshooting a stain as one who has learned every step by hand? Will it 
even be necessary in the future of Histology?  Just curious to hear some 
opinions - Terri