I feel the need to reply - I do not have a University Degree but am also not
a technician, I am a medical laboratory technologist with advanced training
in histology. Am I a professional? I believe so. I do not blindly do what I
am told without any thought. I do what I have to provide a service on a
daily basis - all QC, troubleshooting and  enough knowledge do clinical
correlation. I am the resource person and at times even a teacher to
pathologists and techs. So tell me what am I if not a professional?
SHANNON KLASSEN
IHC TECH
SASKATOON DISTRICT HEALTH
SASKATOON, CANADA

> ----------
> From: 	Robert Wadley[SMTP:r.wadley@unsw.edu.au]
> Sent: 	Thursday, May 24, 2001 12:03 AM
> To: 	histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject: 	Re: histotechs
> 
>          This question is more complex than it appears.
> 
>          Is a  professional is a person how holds a qualification in the 
> field they work in.
> 
>          The cleaning staff can & do call themselves professionals, they 
> generally do not require formal qualifications (I believe in some parts of
> 
> the world this is changing).
> 
>          I regard myself as a professional, I have an Applied Science 
> Degree from one reputable University & a Graduate Diploma from an 
> other.  My Degree & Diploma directly relate to my employment.  I have some
> 
> 10 years of experience in Laboratory Science.
> 
>          However, this does not mean an unqualified person with the same 
> experience in the same type of position, but without the qualifications is
> 
> not a professional.
> 
>          My personal bias is to consider those people with degrees as 
> professionals & those without as technicians.  The difference was best 
> summed up by one of my University lecturers; "Technicians do what they are
> 
> told, scientists have to understand & interpret."  Thus as scientists we 
> were not in a position to blindly accept any result provided (particularly
> 
> by electronic instrumentation) but to interpret the result in the context 
> of the other clinical data supplied.
> 
>          Regards
> 
>          Rob W.
> 
> At 15:13 05/23/2001 -0400, JHoffpa464@aol.com wrote:
> >a survey:  should histotechs be considered professionals?   if so why?
> if
> >not why?
> 
> Robert Wadley,
> Laboratory Manager
> Cellular Analysis Facility  *** Services now available 24 hrs/7days ***
> School of Microbiology & Immunology
> UNSW, New South Wales, Australia, 2052
> Ph (BH)         +61 (2) 9385 3517
> Ph (AH) +61 (2) 4323 3367
> Fax     +61 (2) 9385 1591
> Mobile  0411 874 470
> E-mail #1       r.wadley@unsw.edu.au
> E-mail #2       rbwadley@hotmail.com
> www     http://www.micro.unsw.edu.au/
> 
>