[Histonet] Histotechs: how many are we nationwide?

[Rene J Buesa]

Dear Histonet subscriber:
   
  The US Census does NOT recognize histotechs (HTs) as a category of professionals (the NSH is going to try to do something about that during 2007) so we do not know how many we are. Some indirect calculations are needed to answer that question.
  According to the US Census bureau:
   
  1- there are 5,193 general and surgical hospitals and perhaps 95% of them have a histology laboratory = 5,000 labs
  2- the average number of HTs per lab = 9 (range from 1 to 15 or more in some).
  So, in hospital settings there could be 5,000 x 9 = 45,000 HTs
   
  3- There are 4,084 institutions of higher education and perhaps 50% have some sort of histology lab, veterinary, marine, research, botany, etc. = 2,000 histology labs.
  4- those experimental labs have an average of 2 HTs (between 1 and 5, sometimes up to 10)
  So, in universities there could be 2,000 x 2 = 4,000 HTs
   
  Adding both = 49,000 histotechs nationwide. 
   
  If membership to the NSH in 2006 (4,400 members) is any indicator (and usually prestigious professional societies are able to have a membership of roughly 10% of the profession) it can be said that the 4,400 members in 2006 = 9% of the proposed number.
   
  What do you think? 
  Are we more than 49,000; less? or is 49,000 HTs about right?
  René J.



 		
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