Before everyone gets up in the air - let me clarify that WE DID NOT PHASE OUT
THE OJT ROUTE - we phased out the high school and two years of experience
route.  You can still take the certifying exam with and associate degree and
one year of experience (i.e. OJT).  The difference is that you will have to
have an associate degree with courses in math, chemistry and biology after
2005 to qualify for the exam, and only a high school education will no longer
be accepted (unless coming through a NAACLS accredited program that accepts
students with only a high school and that does not grant a degree at the end
of the program).  56% of the programs take only students with an associate
degree or grant one on completion of the program.

So my advice to all of you is to please take individuals with a degree when
you must do on the job training.  There are lots of biology degreed people
out there that cannot find a meaningful job.  They make great histotechs.

Freida Carson

P.S. Don, we missed you at the S/C.  Was a great one as usual.