[Histonet] Question about taking test

[Gayle Callis]

Derek,

There have been many histotechnicians involved with setting up testing for 
years who have been trying to correct the problem of poor photos, but ASCP 
is slow to change, so it seems. It is the testing agency who drops the ball 
here.  I suggest you send this email message in the form of a hard copy 
letter to the testing agency (CAP or ASCP),  express your unhappiness about 
poor photographs.  Maybe that will speed things along to aid others when 
taking the HT or HTL exams.

At 06:31 AM 6/5/2007, you wrote:
>I have my BS and have been in histology for over 3 years and I finally 
>found the time to take the HT exam. I found the test to be flawed in many 
>aspects and didn't let me accurately demonstrate my knowledge of 
>histology. I knew Carson's book and Bancroft and Gamble's book from front 
>to back and was extremely confident when I walked into the test.. After 
>going through the test, I didn't feel as confident until I saw the tiny 
>word on the screen that everyone wants to see: "PASS". The problem I had 
>with the test is that histology is a very visual discipline. We are 
>expected to be able to view slides and determine what stain was used and 
>if that stain is adequate. The pictures on the exam were frequently 
>blurry, the colors were skewed (the red in trichrome was a pale brown) and 
>seemed to intentionally try to confuse the test taker instead of merely 
>testing the knowledge of the person taking the exam. Over the years I have 
>seen many slides that were not acceptable and could accurately 
>trouble-shoot them but the slides on the exam were not even close to being 
>acceptable. The ASCP set such high standards for stains when there was a 
>practical portion of the exam but they seemed to drop the ball when they 
>set the standards for the pictures that they use for the computer portion.
>
>That is my two cents... I feel that someone could know the subject 
>material extremely well but then be tripped up by the seemingly 
>intentionally misleading pictures and questions on the test.

Gayle Callis
MT,HT,HTL(ASCP)
Research Histopathology Supervisor
Veterinary Molecular Biology
Montana State University - Bozeman
PO Box 173610
Bozeman MT 59717-3610