In Boston, the Private Industry Council, in cooperation with some of the major teaching hospitals place high school students in real jobs as part of a school to work program.  The students work 15 hours per week during the school year and 40 hours during the summer. 

As part of this program we have always had students working in the histology lab. They assist with the some of the clerical functions as well as learn the basics of histology (H&E staining, coverslipping, labeling etc.) During the first summer they are taught embedding and cutting.  I am happy to say that several of these students have remained in the lab as full time employees after high school or use their histology skills while attending college.  

Mike Fredrickson
mfredrickson@cohenderm.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: Don Skaggs [mailto:dskaggs@mindspring.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 9:17 AM
To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
Subject: RE: The future of Histotechs


Tim Morken wrote:

"I feel the real issue is that people are unaware the field even exists."

I believe Tim hit the nail on the head, and now I feel compelled to throw in my 2 cents.  Is there any way histology could be promoted at a high school level?  With all it's hands-on science, I think histology could be a very interesting part of a high school biology class.  Or it could even be integrated into some broader college science classes.  Which leads me to another question: who could/would promote it?  NSH or state societies?  Possibly some pathology product manufacturers? If you build it, will they come?  Somebody tell me if I'm out of my mind here.  

"You cannot un-ring a bell." - Paul Harvey

Don Skaggs
dskaggs@mindspring.com