[Histonet] OJT Histotechs/Training

Sat May 16 22:02:34 CDT 2015

This is an issue with our program as well.  We have a difficult time 
finding clinical sites for our students.  Many people want to hire trained 
individuals, but don't want to invest any time in the training.  Our 
students receive a great deal of hands-on time in the student laboratory, 
but need "real life" experience. 
Jennifer MacDonald
Mt. San Antonio College

From:   "Mayer,Toysha N" <TNMayer at mdanderson.org>
To:     "'histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu'" 
<histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Date:   05/14/2015 01:48 PM
Subject:        Re: [Histonet] OJT Histotechs/Training

One good way to find techs is to offer to become a clinical affiliate for 
a program.  Most programs struggle with attracting students and providing 
them with clinical affiliates to fine tune their skills.
It may not matter that the school is not located near you, the student may 
have family nearby to stay with. 
We are always looking for long distance affiliates, that way we can 
attract an out-of-state student and not saturate the local area.  I have 
students who want to relocate to different areas and just for a change and 
this helps them do so.  We also get calls from applicants who don't mind 
moving to us for 9-10 months, as long as they can go home when they 
finish. 
If the program is agreeable to this, the specifics can be worked out, such 
as what skills are entry level and the length of the time the student is 
at your facility.
Ours is called an Internship and the student is at the facility for 12 
weeks.  They come in knowing basic embedding, cutting, routine staining, 
specials, and have performed a minimum of three IHC stains.  Two are 
manual and one automated. 
Some programs keep the students in house for some time before they leave 
for internship, while others leave the technical training to the clinics. 
It all depends on what is available. 
This would be a low cost way to see if you like a person, can train them 
and are willing to teach. 
Some students are looking to relocate just before graduation, so a move 
for an internship is a consideration. 
Many times it is the expectations of the trainer that are not aligned with 
the skill level of entry-level techs and that can cause problems.  This 
way the person can come in with an assessment of the skill level and the 
OJT phase can begin.  If the affiliate chooses to hire the student, great. 
 If not, then no harm.  At least you get to say that you tried and did not 
have to waste money doing so.  It is not a source of free labor, but a way 
of accurately assessing a person's fit for your needs.
Many allied health programs (not just histo) are doing this and it helps 
to showcase different labs and programs.

Just my two cents.

Sincerely,

Toysha N. Mayer, D.H.Sc., MBA, HT (ASCP)
Instructor/Education Coordinator
Program in Histotechnology
School of Health Professions
UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
713.563-3481

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 14 May 2015 17:07:06 +0000
From: "Morken, Timothy" <Timothy.Morken at ucsf.edu>
To: Pam Marcum <mucram11 at comcast.net>, Lisa Roy <Royl1 at LabCorp.com>
Cc: Histonet <histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu>, Michael Dessoye
                 <mjdessoye at commonwealthhealth.net>
Subject: Re: [Histonet] OJT Histotechs/Training
Message-ID:
 <761E2B5697F795489C8710BCC72141FF36831E99 at ex07.net.ucsf.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

I think there is some actor from the CSI series that has done some of this 
work promoting lab techs...

Tim Morken

-----Original Message-----
From: Pam Marcum [mailto:mucram11 at comcast.net] 
Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2015 9:18 AM
To: Lisa Roy
Cc: Histonet; Michael Dessoye
Subject: Re: [Histonet] OJT Histotechs/Training

I understand and agree with everything being said and feel we do need more 
education in getting your registry, as Histology is changing and 
growing.??We need to be prepared to grow with it, much as we did when IHC 
first came into Histology and many thought it would go to the MTs.?? 
? 
The one thing that has not changed in the 50 years I have done Histology 
is the fact that no one outside of AP knows what a Histologist is or what 
we do.? (I'm tried of being asked "Oh what kind of history is that?")? 
Until we change that and get more information about the field and 
advantages we will still be in the straights we are in now.? No one 
joining because so few people even know what we do or that there is an 
opportunity here.? If you don't know what Histology is why would you even 
look at the field.? I know about and have done school visits, career days 
etc; and those are not enough.? 
? 
We need a spokesperson or celebrity?who has needed our services and not 
even known we, Histology, were the ones who did the slides their wonderful 
doctors used to save their lives.? This person or persons needs to speak 
loud and strong the way Robin Roberts has done on TV for her doctors 
and?help.?However; Histology was neven mentioned in those gratis 
moments.?I have only known one?person in NSH who suggested this and no one 
listened.? If?they can't see you or know you - you don't exist.??Can we 
all take off the blinders and?look at what we need in publicity and stop 
waiting for NSH and ASCP to do it.???Then we can offer these possible 
future HTs and HTLs something, like being recognized as full laboratory 
professionals and a higher level of lab aide. 
? 
Just my thoughts (for many years and spoken often) 
? 
Pam Marcum 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Lisa Roy" <Royl1 at LabCorp.com> 
To: "Michael Dessoye" <mjdessoye at commonwealthhealth.net>, "Histonet" 
<histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu> 
Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2015 7:55:19 AM 
Subject: Re: [Histonet] OJT Histotechs/Training 

I currently have 3 open tech positions and don't have any qualified 
applicants applying for the job. ?I have recently taken a lab aide that 
showed interest and aptitude and began OJT. ?With less than 30 schools in 
the country actually teaching histology, this is one day going to be the 
way. ?Already having a bachelors in biology, my aide qualifies to sit for 
the ASCP exam once he has completed one full year of tech work and has a 
pathologist willing to review his work and sign off on the ASCP paperwork. 
?Without going through a traditional program, one must have an associates 
or bachelor's degree with a ?certain amount of Chemistry and Science 
credits. ?As far as the training, I started with embedding and moved on 
from there to cutting and then special staining. ?All along way, working 
on troubleshooting and documenting EVERYTHING. ?Some places will hire 
someone with only a high school diploma as long as they have previous HT 
experience. ?I think the specifics of what each in
 stitution would deem a qualified trainee will vary from place to place. 
?Smaller hospitals or labs may be okay training someone with aptitude that 
doesn't necessarily fit the ASCP exam qualifications, but large 
corporations might really insist that the trainee be certifiable at some 
point. 

Frankly, I think taking someone that shows an interest and has the 
knowledge to be a great tech is better than hiring someone that you may 
not know what you are getting. ?Doing OJT ensures that you are teaching 
the candidate exactly how you want things done and not having to accept 
the bad habits of someone that has been doing it a long time and set in 
their own ways. 

Good luck 
Lisa ? ? 

-----Original Message----- 
From: Dessoye, Michael [mailto:mjdessoye at commonwealthhealth.net] 
Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2015 7:44 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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