[Histonet] uncertified histotechs

[Cathy Boyd]

wow!  I've been sitting here reading these opinions and had to get my 35 years worth.  I was a histotech long before I was a certified histotech.  After 25 years of doing histology, I decided to get my certification for my own gratification, however in doing so it also made quit a difference in my pay scale but did not make me a better histotech as I feel my experience in the field was worth more than that piece of paper.  I will put my slides up against anyone else, the ones before my certification and after.  I have in the last 2 years had a cytotech who I have crosstrained in histology and she can put out a pretty good slide also.  I do not know if she will take the certification or not, but she can work in my lab anytime.  I have also in the last 2 years started doing IHC's.  I hope to take my certification in IHC sometime in the next 25 years, however, my pathologists are quite pleased  with my work. 
 
Cathy Boyd HT(ASCP)
Beaufort County Medical Center
Washington, NC