Thank all of you who posted a response to my question about BS degree's and Histotechnologist. I especially appreciate the number of responses that came from "seasoned" HTL's. Because of your impute I was able to convince my hospital and craft a job description that leaves no one out from consideration for the position. Like may of you, I have been burned in the past by having the experience but not the "required credentials" to be paid properly for the work that I was doing. Unfortunately, this is not likely to change. The success that the USA has shown in matters of QA and QC accuracy have been attributed to our certification and accreditation processes. The increased sophistication of all aspects of Histotechnology and the advent of molecular testing provide an excellent forum for all of us to lobby our certification agencies to include or create additional certifications for Histotechnologist to take part in Cytogenetic, Molecular Pathology and the like. Sure it may require some extra training or college credit but that's exactly what every other field in clinical laboratory medicine has had to do. Every time I'm exposed to another aspect of special staining or IHC it becomes clearer and clearer that the scientific knowledge is there in our technologists. We just need to rally around that point and begin to have our State and National Histology Associations to present a unified front to ASCP, CAP and the like, for more recognition (and pay) based on the tasks that are already being done. We are getting ready to post a position for a Histotechnologist (HTL) position (Manchester, New Hampshire) that will be the point person in crafting the histology laboratory procedures and process for all aspects of the lab. The expected "hire" date will be in October. We will not be taking patient specimens until February of 2010 so this person will not be engaged in "wet work" for some time. As the year progresses we will add 2 HT or above positions and 2 Path Tech (Assistant) positions as well. Thanks again for all your help. Steve
Stephen A. Feher, MS, SCT (ASCP) Pathology Supervisor Catholic Medical Center 100 McGregor Street Manchester, NH 03102 603-663-6707 sfe...@cmc-nh.org <mailto:sfe...@cmc-nh.org> _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet