[Histonet] Histotechnology schools in the United KIngdom

[mtitford <@t> aol.com]

A few days ago Peggy Wenk kindly listed a web site for histotechnology schools in the United Kingdom, but it was a little mis-leading. The site was for all job vacancies in the United Kindom hospitals, all part of the British  " National Heath Service". Most of the jobs listed were for physicians who wished to train in histopathology, not histotechnology.  There were a few positions for what we in the USA call Medical Laboratory Technologists, that in the UK, includes histotechnology.

The system in the United Kingdom is quite different to that in the United States. It may have changed recently since I left there, but In don't think so. In the UK there are no "Histotechnology schools" as such. If you wish to persue a career in histotechnology and work with human tissues, as in a hospital,  you have to be State Registered. To be State Registered you have to attend their degree level national certificate program run by their Institute of Biomedical Science. It includes micro, blood banking, chemistry, hematology, etc, including histology. It is hard! During that time, you rotate through the different sections of the hospital laboratory. When you finish, and pass the test, then you can apply for State Registration. They have advanced fellowships in histotechnology. 

On our own Histonet from time to time, technologists from England have complained about having to work so hard and being understaffed. Maybe it is too hard for normal people!.

(Histology technicians not working in a hospital or not requiring State Registration can train "on the job" and do not have to be State Registered. Years ago there was a program run by the Institute of Science Technology for non medical histology technicians that included Histology in its last two years of a five year part time program, but I don't know if it still exists)

Maybe some one from the United KIngdom can bring us all up to date.

Regards

Michael Titford
Pathology USA
Mobile AL USA