[Histonet] Clinical histology to Research histology

[Andrea Grantham]

Cassie,
It is so much better!

Basically you are doing the same thing but in my instance I get a pretty wide variety of projects (different species) and pretty often need to address each one differently. 
I have many different processing schedules programmed into my processor - like whole brain, sliced brain, large bone, chick embryo, mouse embryo - different stages, etc. You might have processing schedules using solutions like cedarwood oil or butanol and have to use an old style dip n'dunk processor because the solutions aren't compatible with the newer models. But I even have a routine schedule much like a clinical lab overnite program. The knowledge you have gained in the clinical lab will be a valuable resource as will reference texts and always HISTONET.

You may be doing work on insects and plants - always a challenge but so much fun and a real learning experience. Different sets of special stains are asked for like Ruthenium Red/Toluidine Blue or Picrosirius Red. I do a lot of Oil Red O and Luxol Fast Blue stains but hardly any GMS and AFB and PAS stains.

The investigators can be just like the pathologists in their demands but there are some who don't know what the hell they are doing and you will want to meet with them before the actual tissue hits the lab to discuss what they want to have done. You may need to tailor what you do to what they need. They might show up with a paper and want you to do the same protocols as what is written up except they don't have details so you will have to do a bit of research - or a lot of research. I enjoy this because I can make the time to do it.

You may have to do a lot of explaining on what you do because most people don't understand what you do. Terminology - most people don't speak histotech. With every batch of new students or personnel you will repeat this.

Turn around time is better - you fit the work into your schedule. You are not so frenzied. The hours in most cases are better.

Frozen sections - don't be surprised if you are cutting 100 micron sections or sections from tissue not embedded in OCT and you have to put them on tiny coverslips or do serial frozens on a whole organ and put 20-30 or more on one slide. 

There are lots of challenges, in some cases the pay is not as good. 8-( Depending on where you work though the benefits can sometimes outweigh the low pay - or come close.
BUT all in all I found it to be so much better than clinical and I actually feel more appreciated here than I did in the clinical labs where I worked (except for Thomason Hospital in El Paso where I was treated very well).


Andrea Grantham, HT (ASCP)
Senior Research Specialist
University of Arizona
Cellular and Molecular Medicine
Histology Service Laboratory
P.O.Box 245044
Tucson, AZ 85724

algranth <@t> email.arizona.edu
Tel: 520.626.4415     Fax: 520.626.2097