[Histonet] Dumbing down the practical???

[Joe Nocito]

I can do one better.
Two techs came through my lab during a clinical rotation. They were so good
that I hired them. Both took their practical at the same time using the same
tissue from the same autopsy, used the same processor, microtome and
stainer. I reviewed all their slides as did my medical director. One passed,
one didn't. When I called ASCP to inquire how this could happen, I was told
it would be $100 to have the slides reviewed. I told this person that I was
the supervisor, not the applicant and I wanted to know how this could
happen.
	I put my name in to become a reviewer, but never received a yes or no.
Do I have some issues with ASCP, you bet. When my techs told me that they
had to turn in only 9 slides, I was appalled. So I told the same old story
"When I went to school, I had to walk 5 miles in waste high snow. When I did
my HT, I had to use paraffin molds, process by hand and use a steel knife."
Their response was "was that before cell phones and play stations?" They
remember seeing a picture of a steel knife in a book once. Geez, am I
getting old or what?

Joe "The Toe" Nocito, BS, HT(ASCP) QIHC
Histology Manager
Pathology Reference Lab
San Antonio, TX

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu]On Behalf Of TERRI
BRAUD
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 3:52 PM
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Dumbing down the practical???


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



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