[Histonet] Obtaining PA exam requirements

[Steven Van Cleave]

   I  am  currently  in  search  of an institution or hospital willing to
   accept   a   an   intern   student   for   a   short  period  of  time
   (~2wks).  Compensation  to  this  institution  and/or trainer would be
   without   question.   I  am  in  need  of  obtaining  the  post-mordem
   requirements  for the pathologist assistant route 2 ASCP qualification
   for  examination.   I have all requirements except for 10 autopsies, 2
   of which must include brain.  My name, or initials would have to be on
   report  and  I  would have to be involved in FAD, clinical summary and
   the  like.   If anyone has any suggestions that may be helpful, I have
   open ears.  I would really like to get this cert. before it's too late
   and  would  have  to  go back to school somewhere up north and have to
   give up my job as lab supervisor.  I have HT and HTL certification and
   have been in Histology since 1996.  I graduated from Abilene Christian
   University   with  a  degree  in  Biology  in  2002.   I  am  25.   My
   Pathologists  have  trained  me  exhaustively in gross examination and
   many  other areas, but we only do a couple of autopsies per year and I
   must  apply  for  examination  by  Dec of 2007.  We are an independent
   lab.  I am in Abilene, TX at Clinical Pathology Associates.   I really
   just  don't feel comfortable stopping at my BS, when this cert. is out
   there now.  Thanks for your time.

   -Vince Van Cleave, HT, BS, HTL(ASCP)

   P.S.   If anyone is interested and would like some info, I am doing an
   in-house  study  with  the  CAMVIR-1 monoclonal antibody against major
   capsid  protein  L1  which has been said to react strongly against HPV
   type 16 and 33.  I am testing it with ThinPreps and testing it on more
   high  risk  types.   So  far,  it looks like the cross reactivity with
   squamous  cells  would make this a very technically and professionally
   difficult test for routine screening of HPV.  Hopefully our Paths will
   want to give some antibodies against MCMs (minichromosomal maintenance
   proteins)   and  Topoisomerase II-alpha  which  are  overexpressed  in
   abnormal  cervical  cells.   Anyone  else  have any neat findings with
   either of these????  It looks like TriPath has a neat ab cocktail like
   this out now???
   -Vince Van Cleave