I know some cities in Texas are setting up histology programs at the
community college level.  Here in San Antonio, our third class just
graduated in August and we just started another class of 10 students.
    When we started the program here in San Antonio, the question that came
to mind first was "are we going to saturate the market?"  Well, up to this
point, no. After three classes, there are still shortages in San Antonio and
I know a lot more in Houston, Dallas and El Paso.

Joe Nocito, BS, HT (ASCP) QIHC
Histology Manager
Pathology Reference Lab
San Antonio, Texas
----- Original Message -----
From: "Morken, Tim" 
To: 
Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 11:30 AM
Subject: RE: The future of Histotechs


> The school issue is kind of moot since there are so few histo schools
around
> (I think 24 in all the US at last count). In meeting hundreds of
histotechs
> over the years, only a handfull went through a histo program. The vast
> majority are on-the-job trained. Granting that the ideal tech is
> specifically trained, I feel the real issue is that people are unaware the
> field even exists. That is a failing of pathologists and lab managers, in
my
> opinion, who have ignored their duty to get people interested in the
field.
> Are histotechs really supposed to feel a responsibility to go out and
> recruit their replacement, even in light of any feeling loyalty they may
> feel to the profession?
>
> BTW, the Atlanta Journal Constitution has a sunday feature called Why I
Love
> My Job. Beside the main story they put a side panel Called "hot jobs". Two
> weeks ago they highlighted histotechnology, and did a good job of it.
>
> some are taking the bull by the horns and opening new schools. There is a
> new one at Dalton College in Albany Georgia, and a new one opened a couple
> years ago in Califorina (mt san antonio college). unfortunately, one also
> closed in seattle, leaving the entire west coast with only one histo
school
> - still.
>
> Hmmm, maybe THAT is the new career path!
>
> Tim Morken
> Atlanta
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bartlett, Jeanine
> Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 11:56 AM
> To: 'Dawson, Glen'; Morken, Tim; histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject: RE: The future of Histotechs
>
>
> Another issue is that the graduates that do come into the field usually do
> not then attend a school of histotechnology.  So you have educated
> individuals being "trained on the job".  And we all know that learning as
> you go is not the same as a structured 12-24 month program with the
> concentration that you receive in an accredited program.  But how many
> college graduates want to take on the additional training at the salary
that
> is usually offered?  So we have that "anybody walking in can be trained to
> do this job" mentality.  I know of individuals that have walked into a lab
> with a degree but no histology laboratory experience at all and are hired
at
> a higher salary than those without the degree but with formal histology
> training.  That does not help the perception of our chosen field.
>
> Jeanine Bartlett, HT(ASCP)
> Centers for Disease Control
> Infectious Disease Pathology Activity
> 1600 Clifton Rd., N.E.  MS-G32
> Atlanta, GA  30333
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dawson, Glen [mailto:GDawson@Milw.Dynacare.com]
> Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 11:30 AM
> To: Morken, Tim; histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject: RE: The future of Histotechs
>
>
> I hope you are right Tim.  There is a huge resource that histology could
tap
> into; college graduates with a bachelor's degree in Biology since many
> finish school and cannot find a job that they are qualified for.  The
> problem is that it is difficult approaching these graduates with a
> histotech's salary without apologizing for the low figure.  These folks
> would be great additions to the histology lab but, as of now, the rewards
of
> histology aren't good enough to entice them in.
> I fear that the field is so low on the perceived "importance totem pole"
> that the crisis will be MAJOR before lab management truly addresses the
> problem.  I have an interesting take on the histology situation from one
> mavery@pcllab.com, a lab manager who's views on the field were so low, I
> can't post them to this listserver for fear he may never receive a
Christmas
> card from any of us again.  Until the perception of histology as a second
> rate lab service is shaken, I fear that changes will be too slow to avert
a
> crisis.
>
> Glen Dawson.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Morken, Tim [mailto:tim9@cdc.gov]
> Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 9:50 AM
> To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject: RE: The future of Histotechs
>
>
> Although I'm sure a lot of histotechs will retire in the next 10-15 years,
I
> don't believe it will be in the 50 - 70 percent range. One reason is that
as
> the shortage becomes worse, the pay goes up and labs will accomadate older
> techs with incentives to keep them working longer - even as part timers.
> I've already seen ads for partimers with full benefits. And per diem work
> may beome common place. So, more realistically it may be more in the 30
> percent range, which is still bad!
>
> One bit of practical experience with this, from another field. My mother
is
> a retired teacher who has been working about 75 percent of the time since
> she retired. The benefit to her is she gets to pick her assignment, is
given
> full benefits and doesn't worry about all the extra stuff teachers have to
> do these days. i thing something similar will happen with histotechs.
>
> Tim Morken
> Atlanta
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: kevin williams [mailto:akwilliams75@hotmail.com]
> Sent: Sunday, October 20, 2002 9:48 AM
> To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject: The future of Histotechs
>
>
>
> At a one of the meetings at the ASCP in California there was an
interesting
> observation. I understand that in the next 5- 10 years between 50-70% of
> histologists are going to retire.
> Can anyone tell me if there is definative research and where to get my
hands
>
> on it.
> Thanks in advance
> A. Kevin Williams
>
>
>
>
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