Histotechnicians and Histotechnologists
Description:
Histotechnicians
(HT) and Histotechnologists (HTL) are
health professionals who prepare tissue samples removed at surgery to
allow a pathologist to determine if disease is
present in that tissue.
Some of the responsibilities
of Histotechnicians and Histotechnologists include:
- Receiving,
processing and making thin sections of tissue on slides
|
- Performing
various stains for microscopic examination of tissue
|
- Using microscopes
to Identify tissue structures and their staining properties
|
- Assisting
with the processing of frozen section tissue obtained during
surgery
|
Additional information
may be found at:
Educational Requirements:
- Histotechnicians or HTs require a two year associate degree program with courses
in biological science, general chemistry, mathematics, and general education
plus clinical sciences in histological techniques.
- Histotechnologists or HTLs require
a four year baccalaureate degree program with courses in
general chemistry, organic and/or biochemistry, biological science, immunology,
mathematics, electron microscopy, management, computer technology, general
education and the histotechnology sciences.
- Clinical
education includes practice in "real life" laboratories of hospitals,
reference laboratories and other settings
- Educational programs meet the requirements of the National
Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences ( www.naacls.org )
- Graduates are eligible for national certification exams
in the Histotechnician or Histotechnologist category (www.ascp.org/bor)
Employment Opportunities and Salaries:
- Employment
opportunities are readily available in hospital laboratories, and reference,
research, veterinary and pharmaceutical laboratories.
- According to a survey conducted by the American Society of Clinical
Pathologists in 2002, the national vacancy rate in hospitals and reference
laboratories was 8.7% for HTs and 10.0% for HTLs. Lab Med
(2003), 34:702-707.
Starting salaries in NJ for:
- HLTs
range from $37,000 to $42,000
- HTs
range from $ 32,000 to $35,000
- Further salary information by region may be obtained at
www.salary.com
.
For information
on Histotechnician Programs, visit our NJ Clinical Laboratory Educational Programs page
Photo reprinted with permission from
the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), Chicago, IL.
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