[Histonet] ascp exam

[Morken, Tim]

When I took the HT in 1989 I had studied for a year on my own and with a once-a-week study group from our lab. I learned on the job and had been working in histology for 5 years by that time and it definitely helps to do the practical work to get the details into your head (luckily our small lab was a regional lab and so did a large variety of procedures). Even so, we spent a LOT of time detailing out the differences between different types of stains, for instance, silver stains. What is similar and different between them and why.

I read through Sheehan and the AFIP manual many times, went through the NSH study guides many times each, found every study guide I could, sometimes poor copies that had been handed down from tech to tech through the years (nothing "online" in those days!).

When I took the HTL in 1992 it was a bit easier since it mostly covers HT material, but I still made the effort to review everything and then add in the management topics.

Tim Morken
Supervisor, Histology / IPOX
UCSF Medical Center
San Francisco, CA

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Brandi Higgins
Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 4:19 PM
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] ascp exam

Hello,

For those of you who are ASCP certified, either HT or HTL, did many of you
have to take the exam more than once?  I have not yet sat for the exam, but
I see the pass rate is low, and average score is usually just slightly above
the pass line.  I have read a lot of comments on some message boards saying
people don't even recognize the material in a lot of the questions, and how
the images of stains are of very poor quality.  I am just wondering if most
of the people who don't pass are people who think because they work in a lab
they will be able to pass the exam, and as a result they don't study for it
the first time.  Or, is it really that difficult and many people study hard
but still cannot pass it.  Any comments welcome!  Thanks!

Brandi Higgins
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