Re: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability during an interview
I for one always required any applicant to prepare 20 slides stained with HE. I can assure that I selected difficult blocks to cut and the applicant was required to sign a disclaimer that included that s/he he knew how to section and avoid injuries. The whole process was timed (to get a first idea about productivity) and I evaluated and graded the slides at the end. The results were used as one of the elements to decide about offering the position (the fundamental) but I waited until all the applicants had completed the tests so sometimes the applicant had to be contacted a few days later to let him/her know about the results. René J. --- On Mon, 2/23/09, Terri Braud tbr...@holyredeemer.com wrote: From: Terri Braud tbr...@holyredeemer.com Subject: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability during an interview To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Date: Monday, February 23, 2009, 8:57 AM From a recent digest: If you want to know if someone you are interviewing can really section or stain, set them down at a microtome during the interview process, and watch them. I have a question about the following statement plucked from a recent digest. What are the legal ramifications if a person cuts themselves during an interview? We've had this discussion at my place of employment and came to the decision that it would leave us open to a legal liability. I would love to hear some discussion on this subject, as well as any experiences that others have had. Terri Terri L. Braud, HT(ASCP) Anatomic Pathology Supervisor Laboratory Holy Redeemer Hospital and Medical Center - CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This E-Mail is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it was sent. It may contain information that is privileged and/or confidential, and the use or disclosure of such information may also be restricted under applicable federal and state law. If you received this communication in error, please do not distribute any part of it or retain any copies, and delete the original E-Mail. Please notify the sender of any error by E-Mail. Thank you for your cooperation. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
RE: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability during an interview
We also have the staff talk to the applicant during this process. It gives you a good idea if the person can talk and cut at the same time. The last thing anyone wants is a histotech that has to stop sectioning during a conversation! -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu]on Behalf Of Rene J Buesa Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 10:05 AM To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu; Terri Braud Subject: Re: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability during an interview I for one always required any applicant to prepare 20 slides stained with HE. I can assure that I selected difficult blocks to cut and the applicant was required to sign a disclaimer that included that s/he he knew how to section and avoid injuries. The whole process was timed (to get a first idea about productivity) and I evaluated and graded the slides at the end. The results were used as one of the elements to decide about offering the position (the fundamental) but I waited until all the applicants had completed the tests so sometimes the applicant had to be contacted a few days later to let him/her know about the results. René J. --- On Mon, 2/23/09, Terri Braud tbr...@holyredeemer.com wrote: From: Terri Braud tbr...@holyredeemer.com Subject: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability during an interview To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Date: Monday, February 23, 2009, 8:57 AM From a recent digest: If you want to know if someone you are interviewing can really section or stain, set them down at a microtome during the interview process, and watch them. I have a question about the following statement plucked from a recent digest. What are the legal ramifications if a person cuts themselves during an interview? We've had this discussion at my place of employment and came to the decision that it would leave us open to a legal liability. I would love to hear some discussion on this subject, as well as any experiences that others have had. Terri Terri L. Braud, HT(ASCP) Anatomic Pathology Supervisor Laboratory Holy Redeemer Hospital and Medical Center - CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This E-Mail is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it was sent. It may contain information that is privileged and/or confidential, and the use or disclosure of such information may also be restricted under applicable federal and state law. If you received this communication in error, please do not distribute any part of it or retain any copies, and delete the original E-Mail. Please notify the sender of any error by E-Mail. Thank you for your cooperation. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This message and any included attachments are from Somerset Medical Center and are intended only for the addressee. The information contained in this message is confidential and may contain privileged, confidential, proprietary and/or trade secret information entitled to protection and/or exemption from disclosure under applicable law. Unauthorized forwarding, printing, copying, distribution, or use of such information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you are not the addressee, please promptly delete this message and notify the sender of the delivery error by e-mail or you may call Somerset Medical Center's computer Help Desk at 908-685-2200, ext. 4050. Be sure to visit Somerset Medical Center's Web site - www.somersetmedicalcenter.com - for the most up-to-date news, event listings, health information and more. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
RE: [Histonet] Practical Exam
Peggy, You make good, sound points. Thank you. William (Bill) O'Donnell, HT (ASCP) QIHC Lead Histologist Good Samaritan Hospital 10 East 31st Street Kearney, NE 68847 -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Lee Peggy Wenk Sent: Friday, February 20, 2009 8:13 PM To: rjbu...@yahoo.com; 'Victor Tobias'; 'Histonet'; 'Rittman, Barry R' Subject: RE: [Histonet] Practical Exam Long answer - skip if not interested. Am responding to several (many) emails, not just to Rene's. Yes - that was 2 of the reasons (cheating and cost)that the practical exam was dropped. Please realize that I was not on the committee when the decision was made, but afterwards, I talked with ASCP Board of Registry, and with many of the people on the ASCP BOR Histotechnology Committee (of which all of the histotechs are very involved with NSH), and with the NSH representative on the Committee. ASCP could not guarantee that people were doing their own work. I have talked with people who complained to me about other people in their lab - they were having other people do their sectioning and/or staining. Sometimes it was the supervisor doing this, to make certain their tech passed the practical. Sometimes it was other techs, sometimes just to help out, sometimes as ordered by the supervisor or pathologist. I had people call me about this, and approach me at NSH about this, because they were concerned about the cheating. However, they did not want to call ASCP about it, and it would't do any good if I called ASCP. Usually the people did not tell me their name, city, state, or hospital, nor did they tell me the name of the candidate or the people involved in the cheating. And yes, there was a cost factor. Histotechs, if you remember, ended up paying the same exam fee at medtech, cytotechs, etc. PLUS an additional cost ($75 if I remember) to help cover some of the cost of the practical. The key word being SOME. So for every HT and HTL exam candidate, ASCP lost money. There were also other factors, such as: - Automation - Most people were doing their HE on automated machines. Doing special stains on automated machines. Using automated coverslippers. Automated labelers. So it was the machine-work that was being graded. - Better microtomes and blades - It became very infrequent that someone turned in a slide set that had horrible knife lines or was cut too thick. - Kits and commercial stains - very few people are making their own hematoxylin or eosin, or most of the special stains. Regardless of whether they are staining by hand or on machine, very few people make stains anymore. So the grade was on commercial solutions, not solutions that the candidates made. As a result, most candidates could do the stain, and make a fairly good section - because of all the automation and kits. In fact, - from 2001-2004, 70-76% of HT candidates (High school and associate degree routes) could pass the practical, but only 50-53% could pass the written. - When the high school route was dropped, 2005-2007, 90-96% of the candidate could pass the practical, and 55-58% could pass the written (still some high school routes who had failed in 2004 but still had some additional chances to retake the exam). That's 90% could DO the sectioning and the staining! That wasn't the deciding factor in passing the exam! It was the written part. - Last year, in 2008, everyone taking the HT exam had an associate degree, and there was no practical, and 64% of candidates passed the written. So the exam is the same, but more people are passing because they have the biology and chemistry background behind them. This therefore lead to the primary reason for dropping the practical exam. The written/computer exam was the determining factor in whether someone passed or not. The practical exam was NOT the determining factor. There are 4 ways that people passed/failed the written and practical exams. 1. passed both 2. failed both 3. passed written, failed practical 4. failed written, passed practical At the time of the decision to drop the practical, about 50% of the applicants passed both parts (#1). That means that the other 50% failed either the written, or the practical, or both. If they knew their theory fairly well, and could troubleshoot based on the theory, they tended pass both the written and the practical (because they knew what the stain was supposed to look like, and could figure out how to manipulate the stain to make it work right). That's #1. That was 50% of the people. It was actually very rare that #3 happened, where they would pass the written (knew the theory) and yet fail the practical (couldn't do the sectioning/staining). If they didn't know their theory, and didn't pass the written, they also tended to not pass the practical. That's #2. That leaves #4, where they could DO the sectioning and DO the stain, so they
RE: [Histonet] Practical Exam
I agree with Peggy and the reasons for the change. (Don't like it in some ways just no way to guarantee someone will do their own work!) While several people have been amazed at how long this thread has gone on in HistoNet I think it shows the concern we all have for our profession (whether officially recognized or not). Those of us who came in when we made our own stains and used steel re-sharpened knives had to learn theory to survive and do good work. The automation and pre-made stains available have caused some to just skip that part even in the books. We are responsible for training our own people and hiring the best we can for our laboratories. However, each year we are seeing it slip back to OJT on instruments with some supervisors who are willing to go only with that training. When Joe said some of the people in San Antonio were complaining about the school. Perhaps they should look at the fact once through the school it is up to the supervisor and pathologist to continue that training and not assume they learned everything. Every lab is different and every pathologist/s will have preferences and those can not all be taught in any school. Please don't think I disapprove of OJT training. I just think it should be more hands on and less instrumentation at the beginning. It is how I have trained the person working with me and always will. I do research so I have more time and I know that is a factor. Just remember the old saying If you can't do it right the first time when do you have time to do it over. Only good training and theory can answer that one along with a test of skills. Pamela A Marcum University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine Comparative Orthopedic Laboratory (CORL) 382 W Street Rd Kennett Square PA 19438 610-925-6278 -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of O'Donnell, Bill Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 10:16 AM To: lpw...@sbcglobal.net; rjbu...@yahoo.com; Victor Tobias; Histonet; Rittman, Barry R Subject: RE: [Histonet] Practical Exam Peggy, You make good, sound points. Thank you. William (Bill) O'Donnell, HT (ASCP) QIHC Lead Histologist Good Samaritan Hospital 10 East 31st Street Kearney, NE 68847 -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Lee Peggy Wenk Sent: Friday, February 20, 2009 8:13 PM To: rjbu...@yahoo.com; 'Victor Tobias'; 'Histonet'; 'Rittman, Barry R' Subject: RE: [Histonet] Practical Exam Long answer - skip if not interested. Am responding to several (many) emails, not just to Rene's. Yes - that was 2 of the reasons (cheating and cost)that the practical exam was dropped. Please realize that I was not on the committee when the decision was made, but afterwards, I talked with ASCP Board of Registry, and with many of the people on the ASCP BOR Histotechnology Committee (of which all of the histotechs are very involved with NSH), and with the NSH representative on the Committee. ASCP could not guarantee that people were doing their own work. I have talked with people who complained to me about other people in their lab - they were having other people do their sectioning and/or staining. Sometimes it was the supervisor doing this, to make certain their tech passed the practical. Sometimes it was other techs, sometimes just to help out, sometimes as ordered by the supervisor or pathologist. I had people call me about this, and approach me at NSH about this, because they were concerned about the cheating. However, they did not want to call ASCP about it, and it would't do any good if I called ASCP. Usually the people did not tell me their name, city, state, or hospital, nor did they tell me the name of the candidate or the people involved in the cheating. And yes, there was a cost factor. Histotechs, if you remember, ended up paying the same exam fee at medtech, cytotechs, etc. PLUS an additional cost ($75 if I remember) to help cover some of the cost of the practical. The key word being SOME. So for every HT and HTL exam candidate, ASCP lost money. There were also other factors, such as: - Automation - Most people were doing their HE on automated machines. Doing special stains on automated machines. Using automated coverslippers. Automated labelers. So it was the machine-work that was being graded. - Better microtomes and blades - It became very infrequent that someone turned in a slide set that had horrible knife lines or was cut too thick. - Kits and commercial stains - very few people are making their own hematoxylin or eosin, or most of the special stains. Regardless of whether they are staining by hand or on machine, very few people make stains anymore. So the grade was on commercial solutions, not solutions that the candidates made. As a result, most candidates could do the stain, and make a fairly good section - because of
[Histonet] Training first time cutters
It's been awhile since we've had to train someone to cut from scratch and I need your help to figure out two things: 1. how long should it take a new cutter to cut 20 blocks, no levels, nothing fancy, just one HE per block. 2. what's the average length of training for the above to be accomplished? how long is long enough? Julia Celebre MLT Anatomic Pathology Hamilton General Hospital 905-527-0271 ext 46179 email: celeb...@hhsc.ca This information is directed in confidence solely to the person named above and may not otherwise be distributed, copied or disclosed. Therefore, this information should be considered strictly confidential. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately via a return email for further direction. Thank you for your assistance. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
RE: [Histonet] Practical Exam
I've returned from a day off to an inbox stuffed with messages about the decision to eliminate the practical for the certification exam. I apologize if someone has already commented on this as I've got lots of reading to do in order to catch up. A very large reason the practical exam was eliminated was the very high pass rate. I don't have hard data to give you but it is my understanding that the practical pass rate exceeded 95% (my current guestimate based on my recollection of information I was given a few years ago) which to a testing agency implies that the exam is unnecessary if most taking it have no difficulty passing. Some of this success was thought to be the result of special stain automation being commonly available. Rene's comment (#1 below) was relevant to the observed high pass rate and the awareness that some examinees may have been using automation to complete their stains. The stark reality was that the vast majority of examinees passed the practical but a significant percentage were unsuccessful with the written portion of the exam. In response to this observation the ASCP in latter years insisted that the written exam had to be passed first before the practical could be submitted for grading. Vinnie Della Speranza Manager for Anatomic Pathology Services Medical University of South Carolina 165 Ashley Avenue Suite 309 Charleston, South Carolina 29425 Tel: (843) 792-6353 Fax: (843) 792-8974 -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of O'Donnell, Bill Sent: Friday, February 20, 2009 11:01 AM To: Histonet Subject: RE: [Histonet] Practical Exam If, indeed, these were the two primary reasons for eliminating the practical exam, they are weak and lazy reasons. An increase in the fee to apply would cover costs, and, well, was it really that much of a problem of people doing other peoples practicals. I can't imagine it to be out of proportion to what might (I emphasize might and add but likely did not) have occurred sporadically in all the years prior. I won't pass judgement on a single source, but would love to hear from someone who was a part of the decision process that eliminated this practicum. However, if it is true, my estimation of the ASCP has grossly deteriorated. William (Bill) O'Donnell, HT (ASCP) QIHC Lead Histologist Good Samaritan Hospital 10 East 31st Street Kearney, NE 68847 -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Rene J Buesa Sent: Friday, February 20, 2009 8:01 AM To: Victor Tobias; Histonet; Rittman, Barry R Subject: RE: [Histonet] Practical Exam There were 2 fundamental reasons why ASCP eliminated the practical part of the examination: 1- they got to the conclusion that there was no way to determine if the person sending the slides was the one who really made them, and 2- it was getting too costly to send the slides to review or to gather the reviewers to qualify the sections, so they decided to eliminate the practical and made the changes we have now (renewal and CEU). René J. --- On Thu, 2/19/09, Rittman, Barry R barry.r.ritt...@uth.tmc.edu wrote: From: Rittman, Barry R barry.r.ritt...@uth.tmc.edu Subject: RE: [Histonet] Practical Exam To: Victor Tobias vic...@pathology.washington.edu, Histonet Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Date: Thursday, February 19, 2009, 6:30 PM Victor I cannot believe that you have said this. Although I did not think that the practical examination was the ultimate test of skill , it did at least provide some uniformity. With an extension of the logic that you use it is just as easy to allow the pathologist to certify that the technician is qualified even without a written examination. Without a somewhat standardized practical there is no guarantee that the technician will have any practical knowledge outside their individual laboratory. Didactic without adequate practical knowledge is, as far as I am concerned, useless. What is really needed is a national standardized written and practical test that is administered by NSH. I am not holding my breath that this will happen. Barry From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Victor Tobias [vic...@pathology.washington.edu] Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 5:03 PM To: Histonet Subject: [Histonet] Practical Exam There has been discussion regarding the removal of the practical exam. To me it has not been removed, but the responsibility has shifted to whomever signs off on the student. In the case of OJT, the pathologist has verified that this student can cut and stain. Of course what is acceptable to one pathologist may not be to another. Do they get tested in the art of troubleshooting.. As far as the schools go, they shouldn't be graduating
[Histonet] how long can slides stay in water or buffer
How long can you leave deparaffinized slides in water or buffer if you want to do IHC staining? Is leaving them in water or buffer preferable o letting them air dry? I was taught to never let sections dry out. Kimberly C. Tuttle HT (ASCP) Pathology Biorepository and Research Core University of Maryland Room NBW58, UMMC 22 S. Greene St Baltimore, MD 21201 (410) 328-5524 (410) 328-5508 fax This e-mail and any accompanying attachments may be privileged, confidential, contain protected health information about an identified patient or be otherwise protected from disclosure. State and federal law protect the confidentiality of this information. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient; you are prohibited from using, disclosing, reproducing or distributing this information; you should immediately notify the sender by telephone or e-mail and delete this e-mail. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
RE: [Histonet] Training first time cutters
It varies in my opinion. Some people take longer to catch on. I think ability goes along with workload- I cut quickly and accurately whereas others cut slower and just as accurately. I find I can vary as to tissue also- it depends on the tech. Bernice Bernice Frederick HTL (ASCP) Northwestern University Pathology Core Facility ECOGPCO-RL 710 N Fairbanks Court Olson 8-421 Chicago,IL 60611 312-503-3723 -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Celebre Julia Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 10:09 AM To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: [Histonet] Training first time cutters It's been awhile since we've had to train someone to cut from scratch and I need your help to figure out two things: 1. how long should it take a new cutter to cut 20 blocks, no levels, nothing fancy, just one HE per block. 2. what's the average length of training for the above to be accomplished? how long is long enough? Julia Celebre MLT Anatomic Pathology Hamilton General Hospital 905-527-0271 ext 46179 email: celeb...@hhsc.ca This information is directed in confidence solely to the person named above and may not otherwise be distributed, copied or disclosed. Therefore, this information should be considered strictly confidential. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately via a return email for further direction. Thank you for your assistance. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
[Histonet] sucrose
hi, is there any reason that using ordinary table sugar is less desirable than some formulation of Mol Bio grade sucrose when preparing a specimen for cryrosectioning? Eric ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
Re: [Histonet] how long can slides stay in water or buffer
Never let them air dry! The staining won't work. They can stay in water quite some time, like hours. I even think they can stay 2-3 days at 4 degrees, but I'm not sure... With the buffers be careful! They can't stay in the buffers containing permeabilyzing agent (like tween20 or triton) longer than what is said in the protocol, otherwise you will damage the tissue/loose the epitope. There is no problem to keep them in PBS (or TBS) longer. Quoting Kimberly Tuttle ktut...@umm.edu: How long can you leave deparaffinized slides in water or buffer if you want to do IHC staining? Is leaving them in water or buffer preferable o letting them air dry? I was taught to never let sections dry out. Kimberly C. Tuttle HT (ASCP) Pathology Biorepository and Research Core University of Maryland Room NBW58, UMMC 22 S. Greene St Baltimore, MD 21201 (410) 328-5524 (410) 328-5508 fax This e-mail and any accompanying attachments may be privileged, confidential, contain protected health information about an identified patient or be otherwise protected from disclosure. State and federal law protect the confidentiality of this information. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient; you are prohibited from using, disclosing, reproducing or distributing this information; you should immediately notify the sender by telephone or e-mail and delete this e-mail. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet -- Mariya Peneva Dobreva VIB Department of Molecular and Developmental Genetics (VIB11) KULeuven Faculty of Medicine, Department of Human Genetics (DME) Laboratory of Molecular biology (Celgen) Campus Gasthuisberg, ON1, Herestraat 49 3000 Leuven, Belgium Tel.: +32 16 33 00 08 Fax: +32 16 34 59 16 Disclaimer: http://www.kuleuven.be/cwis/email_disclaimer.htm ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
RE: [Histonet] sucrose
If you work in a clinical lab, then yes, there are reasons to use reagent or better grade sugar. Yes, as in Heck yes. Composition, Consistency, Legality, and Ethics. A scientist wants the experiment to have controlled conditions. That's especially true for you clinical science types. You want the test to give the same results every time. Reagent grade materials help ensure that. Next, in a clinical lab, it's probably required. Reagents used for clinical testing need to be traceable and of known composition. Next, people's lives actually depend on the results that come back from clinical labs. So you don't want to screw around with questionable materials. That would be wrong. Finally, Sigma sells reagent grade sucrose for $60.00 per kilogram. That's pretty darn cheap. What clinical lab can't afford a lousy 60 bucks for a kilogram of reagents?! If you work in a Research Lab, like I do, then feel free to go ahead and take your chances. But even we lowly research scientists like to get consistent results. Jerry Ricks Research Scientist University of Washington Department of Pathology Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:52:29 -0700 From: ejsch...@ucalgary.ca To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: [Histonet] sucrose hi, is there any reason that using ordinary table sugar is less desirable than some formulation of Mol Bio grade sucrose when preparing a specimen for cryrosectioning? Eric ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet _ Windows Live™ Hotmail®…more than just e-mail. http://windowslive.com/howitworks?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t2_hm_justgotbetter_howitworks_022009___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
[Histonet] has anybody done SSEA-1 IHC on mouse embryo?
Hi everybody, I need to perform immuno staining for SSEA-1 (stage specific embryonic antigen 1) on sectioned early mouse embryo - E6.5. I've tried all possible protocols and it never worked - different antigen retrievals, different amplification systems, without amplification, different incubation times and antibody concentrations, even different buffers... I have or too much background, or no signal. The epitope is on the cell surface, the primary antibody is mouse monoclonal, and the embryos are fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde. Any suggestions are very welcome, I just don't know what else to try! Thanks! -- Mariya Peneva Dobreva VIB Department of Molecular and Developmental Genetics (VIB11) KULeuven Faculty of Medicine, Department of Human Genetics (DME) Laboratory of Molecular biology (Celgen) Campus Gasthuisberg, ON1, Herestraat 49 3000 Leuven, Belgium Tel.: +32 16 33 00 08 Fax: +32 16 34 59 16 Disclaimer: http://www.kuleuven.be/cwis/email_disclaimer.htm ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
[Histonet] IHC staining on decalcified tissue
Does anyone have a different IHC staining protocol and/or modification for specimens that have been decalcified? CAP asks on the IHC checklist if the procedure manual includes appropriate modifications to address such specimens. Laurie Colbert ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
[Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability--This is starting to Really Annoy me.
All this talk of having people actually section as part of the interview process is offensive to me. I have hired and trained lots of histotechnologists. Mostly I train them myself, from scratch, but sometimes I hire them pre-trained. Then of course, I re-train them anyway so they can do the work to the specs of my lab. Any deficiencies they have will be corrected through training. By me. At my University there is a formal 30 day (maybe it's longer, I can't recall) probationary period for new hires. That's good enough. Why in the world would I need to have them section as part of an interview process? I am also offended by the blocks per hour language. Partly it's because in my lab we do exhaustive serial sectioning, so I consider a tech who gives me one block every half-hour to be doing a good job. Maybe it's different in clinical work, but...20 blocks per hour? And you expect quality work? Jeez, are clinical histopath labs just sweat-shops? It's no wonder histopathologists feel overworked and underappreciated. Jerry Ricks Research Scientist University of Washington Department of Pathology Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:14:06 -0500 From: trathbo...@somerset-healthcare.com To: rjbu...@yahoo.com; histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu; tbr...@holyredeemer.com Subject: RE: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability during an interview CC: We also have the staff talk to the applicant during this process. It gives you a good idea if the person can talk and cut at the same time. The last thing anyone wants is a histotech that has to stop sectioning during a conversation! -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu]on Behalf Of Rene J Buesa Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 10:05 AM To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu; Terri Braud Subject: Re: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability during an interview I for one always required any applicant to prepare 20 slides stained with HE. I can assure that I selected difficult blocks to cut and the applicant was required to sign a disclaimer that included that s/he he knew how to section and avoid injuries. The whole process was timed (to get a first idea about productivity) and I evaluated and graded the slides at the end. The results were used as one of the elements to decide about offering the position (the fundamental) but I waited until all the applicants had completed the tests so sometimes the applicant had to be contacted a few days later to let him/her know about the results. René J. --- On Mon, 2/23/09, Terri Braud tbr...@holyredeemer.com wrote: From: Terri Braud tbr...@holyredeemer.com Subject: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability during an interview To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Date: Monday, February 23, 2009, 8:57 AM From a recent digest: If you want to know if someone you are interviewing can really section or stain, set them down at a microtome during the interview process, and watch them. I have a question about the following statement plucked from a recent digest. What are the legal ramifications if a person cuts themselves during an interview? We've had this discussion at my place of employment and came to the decision that it would leave us open to a legal liability. I would love to hear some discussion on this subject, as well as any experiences that others have had. Terri Terri L. Braud, HT(ASCP) Anatomic Pathology Supervisor Laboratory Holy Redeemer Hospital and Medical Center - CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This E-Mail is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it was sent. It may contain information that is privileged and/or confidential, and the use or disclosure of such information may also be restricted under applicable federal and state law. If you received this communication in error, please do not distribute any part of it or retain any copies, and delete the original E-Mail. Please notify the sender of any error by E-Mail. Thank you for your cooperation. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This message and any included attachments are from Somerset Medical Center and are intended only for the addressee. The information contained in this message is confidential and may contain privileged, confidential, proprietary and/or trade secret information entitled to protection and/or exemption from disclosure under applicable law. Unauthorized forwarding, printing, copying, distribution, or use
[Histonet] Tissue disposal
How are people disposing of their tissue? Especially in the Atlanta area? Inquiring minds want to know. Thanks! j Joyce Weems Pathology Manager Saint Joseph's Hospital 5665 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd NE Atlanta, GA 30342 678-843-7376 - Phone 678-843-7831 - Fax Confidentiality Notice: This email, including any attachments is the property of Catholic Health East and is intended for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). It may contain information that is privileged and confidential. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please reply to the sender that you have received the message in error, then delete this message. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
[Histonet] Beauty fo the Cell: call for contributions
Dear Colleagues, I open a blog entitled Beauty of the Cell. This in order to collect images of the Cell. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence are welcome from all of you. Main goal is to display beauty of the Cell and provide a reference for staining of different cell compartments from professionals all around the world. Please, provide a high resolution image (300 dpi, or more) and a low resolution (72 dpi, 1024 pixel size side). Provide also technical details of your staining (antibody code and factory, clone, dilution, incubation time, cell type stained, ...). Provide your details (Name, Institution/Department/main research interest. Images contributed to this blog have to be sent by email to: marco.prunott...@gmail.com %20marco.prunott...@gmail.com Images will be public domain and I will use them in order to write a book on beauty of the Cell. All your contributions are welcome. regards ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
RE: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability--This is starting to ReallyAnnoy me.
Jerry, you are right that clinical work is different from research. You are wrong to consider 20 blocks per hour to be a sweat-shop pace. I've know scores of histotechs that cut well over 20 blocks per hour and produce high quality slides. Sorry you feel offended by this discussion but there is a real world outside of your university walls. Chuck -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of JR R Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 1:58 PM To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability--This is starting to ReallyAnnoy me. All this talk of having people actually section as part of the interview process is offensive to me. I have hired and trained lots of histotechnologists. Mostly I train them myself, from scratch, but sometimes I hire them pre-trained. Then of course, I re-train them anyway so they can do the work to the specs of my lab. Any deficiencies they have will be corrected through training. By me. At my University there is a formal 30 day (maybe it's longer, I can't recall) probationary period for new hires. That's good enough. Why in the world would I need to have them section as part of an interview process? I am also offended by the blocks per hour language. Partly it's because in my lab we do exhaustive serial sectioning, so I consider a tech who gives me one block every half-hour to be doing a good job. Maybe it's different in clinical work, but...20 blocks per hour? And you expect quality work? Jeez, are clinical histopath labs just sweat-shops? It's no wonder histopathologists feel overworked and underappreciated. Jerry Ricks Research Scientist University of Washington Department of Pathology Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:14:06 -0500 From: trathbo...@somerset-healthcare.com To: rjbu...@yahoo.com; histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu; tbr...@holyredeemer.com Subject: RE: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability during an interview CC: We also have the staff talk to the applicant during this process. It gives you a good idea if the person can talk and cut at the same time. The last thing anyone wants is a histotech that has to stop sectioning during a conversation! -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu]on Behalf Of Rene J Buesa Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 10:05 AM To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu; Terri Braud Subject: Re: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability during an interview I for one always required any applicant to prepare 20 slides stained with HE. I can assure that I selected difficult blocks to cut and the applicant was required to sign a disclaimer that included that s/he he knew how to section and avoid injuries. The whole process was timed (to get a first idea about productivity) and I evaluated and graded the slides at the end. The results were used as one of the elements to decide about offering the position (the fundamental) but I waited until all the applicants had completed the tests so sometimes the applicant had to be contacted a few days later to let him/her know about the results. René J. --- On Mon, 2/23/09, Terri Braud tbr...@holyredeemer.com wrote: From: Terri Braud tbr...@holyredeemer.com Subject: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability during an interview To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Date: Monday, February 23, 2009, 8:57 AM From a recent digest: If you want to know if someone you are interviewing can really section or stain, set them down at a microtome during the interview process, and watch them. I have a question about the following statement plucked from a recent digest. What are the legal ramifications if a person cuts themselves during an interview? We've had this discussion at my place of employment and came to the decision that it would leave us open to a legal liability. I would love to hear some discussion on this subject, as well as any experiences that others have had. Terri Terri L. Braud, HT(ASCP) Anatomic Pathology Supervisor Laboratory Holy Redeemer Hospital and Medical Center - CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This E-Mail is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it was sent. It may contain information that is privileged and/or confidential, and the use or disclosure of such information may also be restricted under applicable federal and state law. If you received this communication in error, please do not distribute any part of it or retain any copies, and delete the original E-Mail. Please notify the sender of any error by E-Mail. Thank you for your cooperation. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Re: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability--This is starting to ReallyAnnoy me.
Jeez, are clinical histopath labs just sweat-shops? Pretty much. Having spent years doing path at a huge local hospital which featured a slave-driving lab director who was less qualified to run the lab than half the people working in it, I must say that I agree with this observation. At the same time, as much as I enjoy my more laid-back research path position now, I'd get fired in a heartbeat if I produced only one block every 30 minutes. Actually, I just got finished doing closer to 40 in the last hour, and today was a fairly slow day (yet not at all on par with the old clinical stats, were 8-12 techs embedded/sectioned closer to 800-1000 blocks per shift). Charles.Embrey wrote: Jerry, you are right that clinical work is different from research. You are wrong to consider 20 blocks per hour to be a sweat-shop pace. I've know scores of histotechs that cut well over 20 blocks per hour and produce high quality slides. Sorry you feel offended by this discussion but there is a real world outside of your university walls. Chuck -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of JR R Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 1:58 PM To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability--This is starting to ReallyAnnoy me. All this talk of having people actually section as part of the interview process is offensive to me. I have hired and trained lots of histotechnologists. Mostly I train them myself, from scratch, but sometimes I hire them pre-trained. Then of course, I re-train them anyway so they can do the work to the specs of my lab. Any deficiencies they have will be corrected through training. By me. At my University there is a formal 30 day (maybe it's longer, I can't recall) probationary period for new hires. That's good enough. Why in the world would I need to have them section as part of an interview process? I am also offended by the blocks per hour language. Partly it's because in my lab we do exhaustive serial sectioning, so I consider a tech who gives me one block every half-hour to be doing a good job. Maybe it's different in clinical work, but...20 blocks per hour? And you expect quality work? Jeez, are clinical histopath labs just sweat-shops? It's no wonder histopathologists feel overworked and underappreciated. Jerry Ricks Research Scientist University of Washington Department of Pathology Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:14:06 -0500 From: trathbo...@somerset-healthcare.com To: rjbu...@yahoo.com; histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu; tbr...@holyredeemer.com Subject: RE: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability during an interview CC: We also have the staff talk to the applicant during this process. It gives you a good idea if the person can talk and cut at the same time. The last thing anyone wants is a histotech that has to stop sectioning during a conversation! -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu]on Behalf Of Rene J Buesa Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 10:05 AM To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu; Terri Braud Subject: Re: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability during an interview I for one always required any applicant to prepare 20 slides stained with HE. I can assure that I selected difficult blocks to cut and the applicant was required to sign a disclaimer that included that s/he he knew how to section and avoid injuries. The whole process was timed (to get a first idea about productivity) and I evaluated and graded the slides at the end. The results were used as one of the elements to decide about offering the position (the fundamental) but I waited until all the applicants had completed the tests so sometimes the applicant had to be contacted a few days later to let him/her know about the results. René J. --- On Mon, 2/23/09, Terri Braud tbr...@holyredeemer.com wrote: From: Terri Braud tbr...@holyredeemer.com Subject: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability during an interview To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Date: Monday, February 23, 2009, 8:57 AM From a recent digest: If you want to know if someone you are interviewing can really section or stain, set them down at a microtome during the interview process, and watch them. I have a question about the following statement plucked from a recent digest. What are the legal ramifications if a person cuts themselves during an interview? We've had this discussion at my place of employment and came to the decision that it would leave us open to a legal liability. I would love to hear some discussion on this subject, as well as any experiences that others have had. Terri Terri L. Braud, HT(ASCP) Anatomic Pathology Supervisor Laboratory Holy Redeemer Hospital and Medical Center -
Re: [Histonet] Beauty of the Cell - site address and diffuse message (addenda)
You've sent the list three emails about your blog within the last hour. We get the point! Marco Prunotto wrote: Dear Colleagues, Beauty of the Cell address is at: http://beautyofthecell.blogspot.com/ I wait your contributions at: marco.prunott...@gmail.com please, diffuse this email to all your colleagues doing fine science. We need and urge reliable antibodies to obtain beautiful images of the Cell. Marco - Dear Colleagues, I open a blog entitled Beauty of the Cell. This in order to collect images of the Cell. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence are welcome from all of you. Main goal is to display beauty of the Cell and provide a reference for staining of different cell compartments from professionals all around the world. Please, provide a high resolution image (300 dpi, or more) and a low resolution (72 dpi, 1024 pixel size side). Provide also technical details of your staining (antibody code and factory, clone, dilution, incubation time, cell type stained, ...). Provide your details (Name, Institution/Department/main research interest. Images contributed to this blog have to be sent by email to: marco.prunott...@gmail.com %20marco.prunott...@gmail.com Images will be public domain and I will use them in order to write a book on beauty of the Cell. All your contributions are welcome. regards Marco Prunotto, Ph.D. RenalChild Foundation Giannina Gaslini Children's Hospital, Genoa, Italy ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
[Histonet] for submission: re: quantatative fluorescent systems for tissue
Hitech'er's: Is there a fluorescent system (chemluninescent or bead system) for quantitatative reading of fluorescently prepared tissue sections? reader/ Scannerand used with what kind of detection? Where do I start? -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu]on Behalf Of histonet-requ...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 1:05 PM To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: Histonet Digest, Vol 63, Issue 43 Send Histonet mailing list submissions to histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to histonet-requ...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu You can reach the person managing the list at histonet-ow...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than Re: Contents of Histonet digest... Today's Topics: 1. RE: Training first time cutters (Bernice Frederick) 2. sucrose (ejsch...@ucalgary.ca) -- Message: 1 Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:08:03 -0600 From: Bernice Frederick b-freder...@northwestern.edu Subject: RE: [Histonet] Training first time cutters To: 'Celebre Julia' celeb...@hhsc.ca, histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Message-ID: b604670db9964ad18f4abd495c2bc...@lurie.northwestern.edu Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii It varies in my opinion. Some people take longer to catch on. I think ability goes along with workload- I cut quickly and accurately whereas others cut slower and just as accurately. I find I can vary as to tissue also- it depends on the tech. Bernice Bernice Frederick HTL (ASCP) Northwestern University Pathology Core Facility ECOGPCO-RL 710 N Fairbanks Court Olson 8-421 Chicago,IL 60611 312-503-3723 -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Celebre Julia Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 10:09 AM To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: [Histonet] Training first time cutters It's been awhile since we've had to train someone to cut from scratch and I need your help to figure out two things: 1. how long should it take a new cutter to cut 20 blocks, no levels, nothing fancy, just one HE per block. 2. what's the average length of training for the above to be accomplished? how long is long enough? Julia Celebre MLT Anatomic Pathology Hamilton General Hospital 905-527-0271 ext 46179 email: celeb...@hhsc.ca This information is directed in confidence solely to the person named above and may not otherwise be distributed, copied or disclosed. Therefore, this information should be considered strictly confidential. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately via a return email for further direction. Thank you for your assistance. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet -- Message: 2 Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:52:29 -0700 (MST) From: ejsch...@ucalgary.ca Subject: [Histonet] sucrose To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Message-ID: 2938.136.159.74.17.1235411549.squir...@136.159.74.17 Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1 hi, is there any reason that using ordinary table sugar is less desirable than some formulation of Mol Bio grade sucrose when preparing a specimen for cryrosectioning? Eric -- ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet End of Histonet Digest, Vol 63, Issue 43 ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
RE: [Histonet] Practical Exam
H... I remember a fellow tech. Lazy SOB. He had passed the test for the HTL, but couldn't pass the practical, because he really didn't know what he was doing (or cared). He once asked me if I would stain his registry slides along with our regular run of special stains. Needless to say I said NO! He couldn't understand why. (course I don't think he ever understood why his charm never worked on me either) I don't know if he ever passed the exam. I think he was at least on his second attempt at the practical. I also knew a path resident that was even lazier than the 'histotech' and didn't give a rat's patoot either. THAT really gave me the shutters/steamed me up. Then again, a lot of the Path residents didn't like me because I would take tissue back to them to recut because it was too thick to process adequately. Extra work you know. I'm so glad I only have to deal with one fellow a year now. They are much better to begin with. Claire From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu on behalf of Pamela Marcum Sent: Fri 2/20/2009 3:11 PM To: 'Podawiltz, Thomas'; rjbu...@yahoo.com; 'Histonet'; 'O'Donnell, Bill' Subject: RE: [Histonet] Practical Exam Hi, This has nothing to do with Bill or you Tom however, when the practical was still being given people did come on histonet and ask for tissue in blocks and help finishing the exam. It was not a good thing and showed that some people were not able to acquire the tissues needed or were not looking for them. Since I saw this several times and many of us were upset about it, I can say at least a few people did not do their own if they could avoid it. I don't remember names or locations so please don't ask for them. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
RE: [Histonet] Practical Exam
A rat's patoot? Is that like a rodent's behind? -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Ingles Claire Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 4:59 PM To: Histonet Subject: RE: [Histonet] Practical Exam H... I remember a fellow tech. Lazy SOB. He had passed the test for the HTL, but couldn't pass the practical, because he really didn't know what he was doing (or cared). He once asked me if I would stain his registry slides along with our regular run of special stains. Needless to say I said NO! He couldn't understand why. (course I don't think he ever understood why his charm never worked on me either) I don't know if he ever passed the exam. I think he was at least on his second attempt at the practical. I also knew a path resident that was even lazier than the 'histotech' and didn't give a rat's patoot either. THAT really gave me the shutters/steamed me up. Then again, a lot of the Path residents didn't like me because I would take tissue back to them to recut because it was too thick to process adequately. Extra work you know. I'm so glad I only have to deal with one fellow a year now. They are much better to begin with. Claire From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu on behalf of Pamela Marcum Sent: Fri 2/20/2009 3:11 PM To: 'Podawiltz, Thomas'; rjbu...@yahoo.com; 'Histonet'; 'O'Donnell, Bill' Subject: RE: [Histonet] Practical Exam Hi, This has nothing to do with Bill or you Tom however, when the practical was still being given people did come on histonet and ask for tissue in blocks and help finishing the exam. It was not a good thing and showed that some people were not able to acquire the tissues needed or were not looking for them. Since I saw this several times and many of us were upset about it, I can say at least a few people did not do their own if they could avoid it. I don't remember names or locations so please don't ask for them. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
[Histonet] Practical Exams
Hi, It's interesting that there are histo programs that would be on the brink of closing. This is certainly NOT due to a lack of need in the field. It sounds like a lack of support. Really WE need to take this by the horns. Raise your hand if you have ever participated in a high school Carer Day or Health Fair. I don't see many hands ... probably because I am looking at a computer screen! For that matter how many of us could even tell someone intersted in the field where to go (reasonably locally) to get formal training? (Gauntlet toss warning!) With regard to having separate exams for clinical and vetrernary tissue: The idea has merit since animal tissue is harder to cut than human. Maybe all the tissue should be animal to separate the wheat from the chaff. (Just so you know that is intended as a joke, don't flame me too hard.) None of us should get too cockey, and we should all be capable of both. Any good histotech that actually wants to get a job should approach the process like a scientist (showing educational qualifications) and an artist. Gathering a portfolio of work you have done would be a good way of demonstrating you are capable of the work just like the practical exam. Did you really do this work? ... Well did you really do your own practical? is a similar question. Thanks, Amos ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
RE: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability--This is starting to ReallyAnnoy me.
Joe how many previous lives did you have, and what were you in each of them? I think that it is a great idea to have individuals cutting some test blocks. While it is true that you can fire individuals within their probationary period, the pressure from administration in many cases is not to do so and you have wasated time trying to train them to the position. It is also a very expensive proposition both in time and financially to advertise positions and interview for these positions. You certainly cannot determine an individuals expertise by their resume or even by certification. After all what does 20 years experience denote? It can be a fruitfull 20 years with varied experiences or one year repeated 20 times. I would opt for the individual who has 20 years varied experience. Let the applicants cut some blocks, with the due consideration that interviewing is stressful for them as well as for the interviewer. Barry From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of JoeNocito [jnoc...@satx.rr.com] Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 6:16 PM To: 'Peter Carroll' Cc: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: RE: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability--This is starting to ReallyAnnoy me. In a previous life, I went on a two week vacation. When I came back, I had two new techs that I never had a chance to interview. They were hired in my absence (that's why it's a previous life). They couldn't cut, embed or do special stains. Being a clinical training site, I proceeded to teach these experienced techs just like I taught my students. I was furious at the powers at be because of this situation. These people couldn't handle it and both quit with in a year. When I started interviewing for those positions, I gave each applicant a 20 question exam and gave them 5 blocks to cut. I needed to have an objective way to choose the best candidate so I would not have any repercussions or accusations that I hired one over the other because one had longer hair or a prettier smile or because I had something against some one. The lab was getting busier by the day and I just couldn't afford to teach experienced techs from scratch. Just my four cents worth (inflation is a killer). -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Peter Carroll Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 3:26 PM Cc: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: Re: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability--This is starting to ReallyAnnoy me. Jeez, are clinical histopath labs just sweat-shops? Pretty much. Having spent years doing path at a huge local hospital which featured a slave-driving lab director who was less qualified to run the lab than half the people working in it, I must say that I agree with this observation. At the same time, as much as I enjoy my more laid-back research path position now, I'd get fired in a heartbeat if I produced only one block every 30 minutes. Actually, I just got finished doing closer to 40 in the last hour, and today was a fairly slow day (yet not at all on par with the old clinical stats, were 8-12 techs embedded/sectioned closer to 800-1000 blocks per shift). Charles.Embrey wrote: Jerry, you are right that clinical work is different from research. You are wrong to consider 20 blocks per hour to be a sweat-shop pace. I've know scores of histotechs that cut well over 20 blocks per hour and produce high quality slides. Sorry you feel offended by this discussion but there is a real world outside of your university walls. Chuck -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of JR R Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 1:58 PM To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability--This is starting to ReallyAnnoy me. All this talk of having people actually section as part of the interview process is offensive to me. I have hired and trained lots of histotechnologists. Mostly I train them myself, from scratch, but sometimes I hire them pre-trained. Then of course, I re-train them anyway so they can do the work to the specs of my lab. Any deficiencies they have will be corrected through training. By me. At my University there is a formal 30 day (maybe it's longer, I can't recall) probationary period for new hires. That's good enough. Why in the world would I need to have them section as part of an interview process? I am also offended by the blocks per hour language. Partly it's because in my lab we do exhaustive serial sectioning, so I consider a tech who gives me one block every half-hour to be doing a good job. Maybe it's different in clinical work, but...20 blocks per hour? And you expect quality work? Jeez, are clinical histopath labs just sweat-shops? It's no wonder
RE: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability--This is starting to ReallyAnnoy me.
I'll never tell -Original Message- From: Rittman, Barry R [mailto:barry.r.ritt...@uth.tmc.edu] Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 6:32 PM To: JoeNocito; 'Peter Carroll' Cc: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: RE: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability--This is starting to ReallyAnnoy me. Joe how many previous lives did you have, and what were you in each of them? I think that it is a great idea to have individuals cutting some test blocks. While it is true that you can fire individuals within their probationary period, the pressure from administration in many cases is not to do so and you have wasated time trying to train them to the position. It is also a very expensive proposition both in time and financially to advertise positions and interview for these positions. You certainly cannot determine an individuals expertise by their resume or even by certification. After all what does 20 years experience denote? It can be a fruitfull 20 years with varied experiences or one year repeated 20 times. I would opt for the individual who has 20 years varied experience. Let the applicants cut some blocks, with the due consideration that interviewing is stressful for them as well as for the interviewer. Barry From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of JoeNocito [jnoc...@satx.rr.com] Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 6:16 PM To: 'Peter Carroll' Cc: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: RE: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability--This is starting to ReallyAnnoy me. In a previous life, I went on a two week vacation. When I came back, I had two new techs that I never had a chance to interview. They were hired in my absence (that's why it's a previous life). They couldn't cut, embed or do special stains. Being a clinical training site, I proceeded to teach these experienced techs just like I taught my students. I was furious at the powers at be because of this situation. These people couldn't handle it and both quit with in a year. When I started interviewing for those positions, I gave each applicant a 20 question exam and gave them 5 blocks to cut. I needed to have an objective way to choose the best candidate so I would not have any repercussions or accusations that I hired one over the other because one had longer hair or a prettier smile or because I had something against some one. The lab was getting busier by the day and I just couldn't afford to teach experienced techs from scratch. Just my four cents worth (inflation is a killer). -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Peter Carroll Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 3:26 PM Cc: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: Re: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability--This is starting to ReallyAnnoy me. Jeez, are clinical histopath labs just sweat-shops? Pretty much. Having spent years doing path at a huge local hospital which featured a slave-driving lab director who was less qualified to run the lab than half the people working in it, I must say that I agree with this observation. At the same time, as much as I enjoy my more laid-back research path position now, I'd get fired in a heartbeat if I produced only one block every 30 minutes. Actually, I just got finished doing closer to 40 in the last hour, and today was a fairly slow day (yet not at all on par with the old clinical stats, were 8-12 techs embedded/sectioned closer to 800-1000 blocks per shift). Charles.Embrey wrote: Jerry, you are right that clinical work is different from research. You are wrong to consider 20 blocks per hour to be a sweat-shop pace. I've know scores of histotechs that cut well over 20 blocks per hour and produce high quality slides. Sorry you feel offended by this discussion but there is a real world outside of your university walls. Chuck -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of JR R Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 1:58 PM To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: [Histonet] RE: testing cutting ability--This is starting to ReallyAnnoy me. All this talk of having people actually section as part of the interview process is offensive to me. I have hired and trained lots of histotechnologists. Mostly I train them myself, from scratch, but sometimes I hire them pre-trained. Then of course, I re-train them anyway so they can do the work to the specs of my lab. Any deficiencies they have will be corrected through training. By me. At my University there is a formal 30 day (maybe it's longer, I can't recall) probationary period for new hires. That's good enough. Why in the world would I need to have them section as part of an interview process? I am also offended by the blocks per hour language. Partly it's because in my lab we do
