Hello histonetters,

An issue has arisen in our laboratory which can benefit from replies from
ANYONE who currently works in histology and electron microscopy as a lab
manager.

A position opening exists in our Neuromuscular Diagnostics laboratory for a
lab technologist.  Duties involve primarily TEM prep and, to a lesser
extent, frozen sectioning and histochemical staining of skeletal muscle and
peripheral nerve biopsies.

Our laboratory is fairly small/specialized; we process tissues from
approximately 30 area hospitals throughout Wisconsin & Illinois.  When this
open position is filled, there are two of us working full time and one part
time technician who works weekend hours.

Our superiors ( 2 M.D.'s who are neurologists) are pushing to hire a
particular applicant who has ZERO electron microscopy and histology
experience (she is a bacteriologist by trade).  This individual is very
bright and willing to learn; however from my standpoint as lab coordinator
and the sole person responsible for training this individal I am against
this. Especially since I am in class 3 afternoons per week as a part-time
medical student! 

Time is currently of the essence.  I would prefer to wait for an applicant
who is better qualified; however, have been told that if I am not able to
produce any more qualified applicants by the end of next week that I will be
overruled.

Please reply!  My superiors do not understand the intricacies of TEM and
histology techniques.  I consider myself an excellent and patient teacher
but I fear that I cannot train this person in a timely enough manner to keep
the lab running smoothly.

I also suspect that by hiring this person that we would be violating some
CLIA regulation.  PLEASE COMMENT, anyone who is willing, so I may turn in
these responses to my superiors before it is too late.

Sincerely,


Susan K. Danielson, MS
Neuromuscular Laboratory Coordinator
Froedtert Hospital, Medical College of Wisconsin
ph: 414.259.3836
fax: 414.454.7905
email: sdaniels@mcw.edu