[Histonet] OJT Histotechs/Training

[Morken, Timothy]

Mike, yes, the vast majority of histotechs have been,  are, and will be OJT (me included). The people who take on training these people have a responsibility to do the best they can. Most techs end up learning whatever their lab does and so have limited knowledge. I studied a full year for the HT and passed fine, and later the HTL. In our small lab at the time we had a broad array of testing in histology (specials, muscle histochem, immunochem, electron microscopy), but I found out my true lack of knowledge when I went to Saudi Arabia and worked with techs from other countries where they had comprehensive bachelors-level programs required for ALL lab techs. Those from the US, all certificated, where vastly under-educated compared to techs from other countries. It was a bit embarrassing!

Luckily we have online courses and degrees available now - not available in the 1980's when I started. That is a tremendous advantage to those who are willing to take advantage of it. Other than that it will be up to the lab management to be sure the OJT tech gets the basic instruction according to the requirements of the ASCP exam. That is the bare bones knowledge necessary to function. Even then the experience in the lab is key to whether the knowledge is just regurgitated or practiced. Lab management has a responsibility to be sure good lab practices are ingrained during training. It is a big job.

As an aside, there are some people out there trying to break into histology  but do not work in a histo lab, or work in a lab that does not support their desire to get certificated (which is practically criminal in my view). I talked to a person recently who is working in a histo lab but is trying to find a lab to do special stains they do not do in the lab they are working in. Their lab will not buy them the reagents necessary and actually told this person that they will not help them get certificated because they feel the person will move on to get better pay elsewhere. 

I agree with another thought expressed that finding a person excited about getting into histology can lead to a good tech. I had a person just show up cold one day saying he really wanted to work in the histo lab - he had learned some histology in a research lab and did not realize it could be a full time profession until he stumbled on our lab one day. He had a good background but we had no histo jobs open, but we happened to have a new grossing lab aid job opening and he managed to get that job. The expectation is that he will eventually work his way into histology. He's happy to have his foot in the door, and we are happy to have an enthusiastic person with a plan for advancement. 

Tim Morken
Pathology Site Manager, Parnassus 
Supervisor, Electron Microscopy/Neuromuscular Special Studies
Department of Pathology
UC San Francisco Medical Center


-----Original Message-----
From: Dessoye, Michael [mailto:mjdessoye at commonwealthhealth.net] 
Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2015 4:44 AM
To: histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] OJT Histotechs/Training

Hello Histonet,

I'm curious how people are dealing with on-the-job-trained histotechs.  Many people are seeing a shortage in techs, and in my opinion OJT will become more common than it already is.  Does anyone have an 'official' training program?  Requirements to pass the exam?  Qualifications to be able to be trained on-the-job?  I'd like to consider having some kind of plan in place when I don't have an HT/HTL applicant but have folks who, if they get the experience, are otherwise qualified to sit for the exam.  If anyone has a similar situation or experience to share I would appreciate it!

Thanks,
Mike

Michael J. Dessoye, M.S. | Histology/Toxicology/RIA Supervisor | Wilkes-Barre General Hospital | An Affiliate of Commonwealth Health | mjdessoye at commonwealthhealth.net<mailto:mjdessoye at commonwealthhealth.net> | 575 N. River Street | Wilkes Barre, PA 18764 | Tel: 570-552-1432 | Fax: 570-552-1486



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