[Histonet] Unregistered techs

[David Kemler]

Good stuff. In the "old" days, 36 years ago for me, taking the HT(ASCP) exam it was said that you were "registered" by the ASCP, because the designation HT is given by the Board of Registry of the ASCP. Many of the NEW folks use the word "certified". After a total of 39 years (3 years was training before you were eligible) I still only use registered by the ASCP / Licensed by the State of Florida and call myself a "histologist". 
 
In those days ( long before the Internet), you took your ASCP exam (HT's, MT's, CT's, BT's, MLT's) at specially selected medical schools across the US. You chose the one giving the exam which was closest to where you lived. If you needed to drive 100 miles or further to get to the examining college on March 15 OR August 15th, (the only dates it was given) that's what you did. Getting into the exam auditorium before you were allowed to "sit" (that's what it was called) for the exam, was a challenge. You had to prove that you were who you said you were or you were not getting in. Once those guarded doors were closed - they were CLOSED! I saw several folks crying outside the auditorium that day n 1975. Chances for cheating were eliminated at every turn. Unfortunately, not so today. So you can see why for us older techs, if you were HT(ASCP) it really meant something. Unfortunately, not so today. 
 
Yours,
Dave
Histonetters,

I see this subject tends to illicit strong sentiments from
professionals who are impacted or have an impact on HT/HTL's (sort of
everyone on the net)?.

I am still in school, but I want to fully understand how training,
certification, and registration work for HT/HTL’s.  I realize that
ASCP certification is voluntary, and that some States require some
sort of license or certification, but I’ve never heard of a “Registry”
for HT/HTL’s.

-The way I understand through what I’ve been taught at school is that
Histology is the study of tissue, And that...

-To study tissue there is another science that prepares specimens so
they can be studied. And that...

-There is a final sequence “Quality Control” that verifies the science
that prpares specimens is properly done so the tissue can be studied.
And that…

In order for this all to happen successfully and consistently, the
HT/HTL's make sure that during the whole preparation process, safety
is observed, proper adherence to federal and state regulations
maintained, plus train other technicians to do the same, and much
more.

If I understood it all correctly I can’t help but wonder:

If HT/HTL's do all of this crucial preparation work to make sure
specimens are acceptable for precise microscopic identification of
cells, tissue type, diagnosis of disease, and other needs:

"Why wouldn't we want to have some method that can gage a set of basic
skills to indicate a level of competency that HT/HTL's should
initially have, in order to enter the field of work that can effect so
many people either directly or indirectly?"

And also... "Wouldn’t having NAACLS accredited training and ASCP
Certifications serve to gage those basic skills?"

And also… "Would gaging basic skills have a positive impact on the
quality of patient care and the efficiency of the HT/HTL’s impact on
labs?”

I'm not sure but...this fall… when I complete my NAACLS accredited
degree program, and voluntarily take the ASCP HTL certification exam,
my future employer will be able to expect a certain level of
competency that I hope to have established through training and
certification.

Rick T.

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________________________________

From: Rick Tiefenauer <gonavy2003 <@t> gmail.com>
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
Sent: Saturday, May 26, 2012 12:52 PM
Subject: Re: [Histonet] Unregistered techs