Hello all

Your conversecion about the histitechs problem is realy very interesting. I 
work in Greece. I am a chemist with master and in a few months I will finish 
my PhD in toxicology. In Greece there is an huge number of technicians with 
bachelor degree without job! Rhere is not any histotechnology shcool 
(neither a toxicology degree!) but are technicians are very capable in 
learning new things very fast as our educational system has not provide 
adequate support and the students must try by themselves. I wounder what do 
you mean whith "low salary"...Here, if you are so lucky to have a job as 
technician you can not pay the rent for a flat! So, perhaps we must visit 
you so do be all happy!!! (I must notice that Greece is a member of the EU 
23 years ago). I hope that our problem will alliviate you...Have you really 
thought to find people from other countries?
Thanks
Marina
Athens, Greece






>From: JOE NOCITO 
>To: "Morken, Tim" , histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
>Subject: Re: The future of Histotechs
>Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 18:30:53 -0500
>
>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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