Brandon,
I too have my own independent Histopathology Services lab.  I worked in
pathology at the University for 25 years and retired to become a master
gardener.  Well, this lab and all the equipment I would need to open it fell
into my lap and I postponed the plans to become a master gardener.  Because
of my association with the University for so many years I have lots of
contacts from there who send me work, I also do at times pay my Pathologist
colleagues for a consult for my customers.  I am also very involved in the
histology world thru NSH and ASCP, so I get a lot of referrals from my
histology friends.  I am now doing work for investigators from all over the
USA, I even do some international work.  My business is booming.  I am not
as big or established as Liz but I have more than enough work to keep me
going.  I have a University student who works with me part-time, (full time
in the summer), she is a Jr. biology major, I am training her to be a
histotech, she does want to take the HTL certification exam.  I am helping
to pay her school tuition besides the hourly wage I pay here.  I work very
hard and get paid pretty well.  Like Liz, I love what I do, I get a new
project about every day.
Patsy 


Patsy Ruegg, HT(ASCP)QIHC
IHCtech, LLC
Fitzsimmons BioScience Park
12635 Montview Blvd. Suite 216
Aurora, CO 80010
P-720-859-4060
F-720-859-4110
wk email pruegg@ihctech.net
web site www.ihctech.net
 

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-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Elizabeth
Chlipala
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2005 11:50 AM
To: 'Brandon Edward Mills'; histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: RE: [Histonet] independent histology lab

Brandon

We are a small contract lab that services Universities, Pharmaceutical and
Biotech companies.  When I hire individuals for a histology position I first
of all require a BS or HT or HTL certification. I have OTJ trained multiple
individuals through the years who have become HTL certified.  My last tech
was hired with a BS.  By the time she left my
business she was both HTL certified and passed her QIHC.   I feel that I
pay a competitive wage, with full benefits (medical, dental and retirement).
Its my personal opinion that my business will only be a good as the
individuals that I hire, so I want to hire the best, which means I need to
pay a competitive salary with benefits, etc.  I just hired a new histotech,
he's HT certified and did use the ASCP salary survey to judge an appropriate
wage.  I ended up with a starting salary that was in the mid to high range
on the scale.  I'm not speaking for all small contract labs, just for
myself.  Overall starting your own histology business is both challenging
and rewarding.  Lots of hours and sometimes lots of stress, but I wouldn't
change a thing.  I love my job.

Liz

Elizabeth A. Chlipala, BS, HTL(ASCP)QIHC Manager Premier Laboratory, LLC
P.O. Box 18592 Boulder, Colorado 80308
Office: (303) 735-5001
Fax: (303) 735-3540
liz@premierlab.com
www.premierlab.com
 
Ship to Address:
Premier Laboratory
University of Colorado
MCDB, Room A3B40
Boulder, Colorado 80309

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Brandon
Edward Mills
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2005 11:11 AM
To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] independent histology lab

im semi-new to the whole histo-world, and i just have a quick question... 
are there any completely independent histology labs? not independent
pathology labs with a histology lab branch or a few techs working within,
but a truly independent "tech" lab, whether small mom&pop or a larger chain
of labs. i hear a lot about histotechs being underpaid and underappreciated
by pathologists, and it seems to me that someone would have branched away
from the pathologist and created an independent tech lab that could possibly
service a few larger patho labs and hospitals, and take advantage of
economies of scale by doing so. any input?
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