RE: Histology as a science not an art.

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From:"Hewlett Bryan (CMH)" <HEWLETT@EXCHANGE1.CMH.ON.CA>
To:"'HistoNet@Pathology.swmed.edu'" <HistoNet@Pathology.swmed.edu>, "'R.Wadley'" <s9803537@pop3.unsw.edu.au>
Reply-To:
Date:Tue, 13 Apr 1999 08:28:30 -0400
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Rob,
I totally agree with your comments.
As one who has spent the past 35 years both practicing and teaching
histotechnology, I resisted the constant attempts to downgrade the
histology content of courses and to denigrate practitioners. For a while
I felt like a dinosaur! However, the worm has turned and histologists
can rejoice! Don't pull your head in, stick it wayyyyy--- out there---
and dare them to chop it off! Histology is undergoing a renaissance,
science IS art- we knew it all along. 

Bryan

>----------
>From: 	R.Wadley[SMTP:s9803537@pop3.unsw.edu.au]
>Sent: 	April 13, 1999 1:41 AM
>To: 	HistoNet@Pathology.swmed.edu
>Subject: 	Histology as a science not an art.
>
>	Dear All,
>
>	I would like to comment on the statement "Histology is an art and
>everybody has their own way of making things work for them."  Please be
>assured that this not a personal attack on the writer, it is a comment on
>how histology is regarded by many of my peers.
>
>"Histology is an art and everybody has their own way of making things work
>for them."
>
>	This is the justification used to downgrade the teaching of histology
>everywhere.  I was lucky I did A Bachelor of Applied Science in Medical
>Laboratory Science, I got to major in Histopathology & Haematology, the
>histo major was 3 units, it included all the basic routines, special stains
>plus cytology, karyotyping, electron microscopy, museum techniques and
>autoradiography.  This degree has now reduced the histology component
>severely.  I have since completed a Graduate Diploma in Microscopy &
>Microanalysis, which attempted to squeeze histology into 4 days.  It is
>commonly held in some circles that histology can be done by any monkey,
>trained staff are not necessarily required.
>
>	I consider histology to be a science, just like haematology, microbiology
>& clinical chemistry.  I agree that particular talents are required by
>histologists to get the most out of this field.  But to write histology off
>as an art form, something akin to voodoo & black magic belittles everyone
>who works in the field.  We may all have our own little variations, but let
>us understand that these differences are based on scientific preference not
>art.
>
>	I think I shall now pull my head in, before someone cuts it off.
>
>	Regards
>	
>	Rob W.
>
>
>
>R. Wadley, B.App.Sc, M.L.S
>Laboratory Manager
>Cellular Analysis Facility
>School of Microbiology & Immunology
>UNSW, New South Wales, Australia, 2052
>Ph (BH) 	+61 (2) 9385 3517
>Ph (AH)	+61 (2) 9555 1239
>Fax 	+61 (2) 9385 1591
>E-mail	r.wadley@unsw.edu.au
>www	http://www.unsw.edu.au/clients/microbiology/CAF.html
>	(Under development)
>
>



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