[Histonet] OJT Histotechs/Training

Marcum, Pamela A PAMarcum at uams.edu
Mon May 18 15:31:40 CDT 2015 

I took my registry while I was doing neuroanatomical research on animals.  At the time I took it I was told do not use animal tissue or you will fail.  I had to find someone with a clinical Histology lab who would allow me to come in for my practical exam work.  I just had to prove myself when I wanted to get into clinical by working for a little less with the agreement that if I met the standard the pay and position would go up.  However; without the HT I would never have gotten through the door.  We have research people here at UAMS who are taking the exam because their PIs are willing to help them with a pathologist and have their work looked at for quality.  There are ways around the rules we sometimes have to bend a little.  

Pam Marcum

-----Original Message-----
From: Loralei Dewe [mailto:lldewe at gmail.com] 
Sent: Monday, May 18, 2015 2:00 PM
To: Joelle Weaver
Cc: histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu; Mayer, Toysha N
Subject: Re: [Histonet] OJT Histotechs/Training

I have a different perspective on this issue. I have been in histology for over 20 years. I worked at UC Davis in Vet. Histopath for several years. I was a histology Core facility manager and started up the facility from scratch at UC Davis Health system while running a Core Confocal microscope facility there. BUT I was in research, I wasn't in a "Pathology lab" and I don't qualify for the HT or HTL so I can't get work in the industry. Talk about a conundrum!

Loralei

On Sun, May 17, 2015 at 3:38 AM, Joelle Weaver <joelleweaver at hotmail.com>
wrote:

> 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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> >
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