Marsha, I am so sorry you feel badly about your profession.  It may be time
for a career change.  It is unfortunate that your pathologists and work
environment have made you feel this way.  I value my histotech greatly and
understand that my future rests in their hands.  If they're not happy, they
don't work well and I look like a poor manager to my supervisors.  Truth is,
if they're not happy I AM a poor manager.  Good luck on whatever road you
chose.

Chuck

Charles R. Embrey Jr., PA(AAPA), HT(ASCP)
Histology Manager
Carle Clinic
Urbana, IL


-----Original Message-----
From: Marsha R Price [mailto:mprice26@juno.com]
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2001 3:26 PM
To: Fulvio.Magara@ibcm.unil.ch
Cc: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
Subject: Re: histo-chat/ Finality (top 10 Reason list)


Fulvio, you will probably want to hit your delete key on this one.

OK I agree enough about the pay of histotechs or (underpayment). To put
some finality to this, I have come up with a "Top 10 Reasons for not
becoming a Histotech . These are compiled from reponses I received from
histotechs on the histonet.

10.We do not band together and demand the respect like the nurses,
cytotechs and Med. Techs do.
 
9. The 2 year ojt route/ HS diploma minimium will no longer be available
after 2005.
 
8.The education requirement that will take effect in 2005 is just like 4
SCH's shy of an AS (WHY?).
 
7.No matter what kind of education or no matter how good of a tech you
are, you will never be compensated appropriately.
 
6. Very few people in this world that has had any contact with the
medical world even know that we exist, much less know what we do.

5. Apparently Monkeys can be trained to be histotechs as told by
someone's professor. (I think he watched Planet of the Apes way too much
and took it seriously.)

4. HS grads can become histotechs with relative ease (so why the
education requirement?).

3. Kitchen help in the hospital can be trained in only one day to cut and
stain H&E slides.

2. There is a shortage of histotechs and with no incentives being
offered, that means those that remain will be worked to death before help
arrives.

and are you all ready  for this. Drum Roll Please! The No. 1 reason for
not letting your children grow up to be Histotechs.

1. We are going to be replaced by monkeys by the year 2005.

I am not sure how they are at taking the HT exam that has been reported
to be extremely hard , nor am I sure how they do in college, but I am
sure if Monkeys can be trained to operate a microtome, cut and stain
H&E's as well as special stains, IHC and ISH. I am sure that the HT exam
and the  required 60 sch will be no problem for them.

Good morning, good afternoon, and in case I don't see ya, good night.

Marsha Price




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