This addresses the issue of not being involved in fixation and processing
schedules.
I would like to tell you all about an example of someone taking the HT exam
here at my institution (yes it was embarising to me at least) a couple of
years ago.  They were not involved in the processing schedule or fixation
process and used just what was set up for them.  Their tissues also were not
reviewed by me or anyone else with the expertise required to identify
problems.  The point of this story is that they flunked the practical exam
because their tissues were poorly fixed and processed.  After the fact, the
fixation and processing for the department was scrutinized and changes were
made which benefited the entire histology department.  If you are not
involved in determining the fixation and tissue processing schedule for your
department, you should be for taking the HT exam, just because that is what
has been done in your department for a long time does not mean it is good
quality practice.
Patsy Ruegg  

		-----Original Message-----
		From:	Coskran, Timothy M
[mailto:timothy_m_coskran@groton.pfizer.com]
		Sent:	Monday, March 12, 2001 6:50 AM
		To:	Histonet (E-mail)
		Subject:	size requirements

		The message below details a problem that I don't think
should exist for
		people taking the HT or HTL exams.  Why is it that some
individuals
		preparing for the exam are tested not only for their
histology skills but
		for their ability to locate a particular piece of tissue?
Locating could
		come down to how many desperate phone calls or emails they
can send looking
		for tissue, because even though they may have piece of
thyroid or a piece of
		cervix its not the "correct size".  I don't understand why
there is a size
		requirement.  I've worked in a small hospital setting and a
research
		setting.  Being able to come across all the required tissues
with the needed
		size requirements can be tough.  That shouldn't be the tough
part of the
		practical.  The challenge should be obtaining quality
sections with quality
		stains.  Why would it be wrong for someone working with
murine tissue to
		take 3 mouse kidneys and put them into one block and perform
a PAS.   I
		would also think that some of the more challenging aspects
of histology have
		everything to do with size, that is small dimensions.  Being
able to
		sections liver, prostate, FNA's, and sectioning cell blocks,
require a great
		deal of skill and patience.  I think the BOR should get rid
of the size
		requirements and/or do more to help out the people who are
trying to get
		certified.  Provide blocks.  I understand you that the BOR
wants to test an
		applicants ability to fix and process a piece of tissue.
However, how may
		techs that join a new lab and want to take the HT are
involved in coming up
		with the lab's tissue processing schedule.  This has most
likely been
		established and the blocks that they would submit are, in
most cases, going
		to follow a processing schedule that the applicant did not
establish.

		an occasional 2 cents

		Tim Coskran HT, HTL
		Pfizer

		I know this is a long shot but the tech in the lab I work in
is currently 
		doing her HT practical and needs thyroid that isn't
autolysed.  We work in a

		small hospital, not many thyroidectomies or posts, and
everything we've come

		up with isn't suitable.  We tried a neighboring hospital
with no luck.  She 
		needs a 1.0x1.0 piece of thyroid asap as her slides have to
be sent in next 
		Friday, March 16.  We're in MA and would be happy to pay
shipping, etc.  If 
		anyone can help, please respond off net and we can figure
out logistics. 
		I realize I'm asking the impossible!
		Thanks.
		Nancy