[Histonet] OJT Histotechs/Training

Joelle Weaver joelleweaver at hotmail.com
Sun May 17 05:38:28 CDT 2015


I will speak to my laboratory director about this. I know the situation first hand from my previous experience!


Joelle Weaver MAOM, HTL (ASCP) QIHC

        
  

 
> To: TNMayer at mdanderson.org
> From: JMacDonald at mtsac.edu
> Date: Sat, 16 May 2015 20:02:34 -0700
> Subject: Re: [Histonet] OJT Histotechs/Training
> CC: histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> 
> 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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