Question Categories:
LABORATORY SUPERVISOR RELATED:
STUDENT RELATED:
SUPERVISOR AND STUDENT RELATED:

 
LABORATORY SUPERVISOR RELATED:
 
Are you NAACLS accredited?
YES! We just completed our accreditation in September.
 

Do you pay clinical sites for providing this service?
No. There is no money exchanged for time or supplies.
 

What happens if the student is injured or has a BBP exposure while in our lab?
The clinical affiliation agreement addresses students’ health and safety. This is taken from the agreement:

“Facility will provide emergency care in case of illness or accident to any participating student of College faculty or staff.”

If our histotechs don’t perform specimen grossing, is it okay if they only observe this process?
Yes

STUDENT RELATED:
 
Do I get my choice of clinical placement?
Students who are employed by a clinical facility will have the first opportunity to be placed at that facility. Students accepted into the program on the earliest date will be given priority in placement. See the application for more details regarding placement for the clinical experience.
 
What facilities hire HT’s?
Hospitals, research facilities, animal labs, traveling temp agencies and companies that sell lab equipment all hire HT’s.
 
What are the vacancies or demand for HT’s?
Currently there is a large demand for HT’s. Many facilities use a traveling temp service for filling a position until a permanent employee can be found.
 
What salary can I expect to earn?
A registered HT usually starts around $16/hour, and maxes out around $25/hour. Please note that all facilities’ pay scales are different and this is just an average. An unregistered tech will not make this much until their registry is successfully completed. (Please note- some facilities require that registry be completed within a year of the start of employment or an employee can be terminated).
 
How can I learn more about wages and vacancy rates in different areas of the United States?
The American Society for Clinical Pathology conducts a survey every 2 years to determine these statistics for various laboratory personnel. The results of the 2005 survey can be found at:

http://www.asc.org/Certification/ForProgramDirectors/research/
documents/wvac2005.pdf

Will I be required to work weekends?
HT’s in most specialty or research labs do not work weekends. A lot of hospitals do require a weekend rotation. The number of weekend rotation depends on each facility.
 
Will I be rotating stations (staining, coverslipping, processing etc)?
This depends on the facility in which one is employed. Most facilities require that all employees perform every aspect of the job daily.
 
Is ‘per diem’ work available?
Contingent positions along with full time and part time positions are available. Contingent positions are considered as needed. Contigents do not receive benefits. Some facilities pay more on the hour to contingents to compensate for not receiving benefits.
 
What hours will I be working?
A lot of specialty and research facilities work day hours. Most hospital labs are becoming, if not already, 24 hour facilities. Hospitals do offer 1st, 2nd and 3rd shifts. To compensate employees, extra pay is given to those that work 2nd, 3rd and weekend shifts.
 
SUPERVISOR AND STUDENT RELATED:
 
How many months are the students with in the clinical facility?
The program will begin in September and continues for 3 quarters, ending in June.
 
Do you do a background check and drug screen?
If a facility requires it, we do. Our division is currently writing a policy for these requirements.
 
Can I start a different quarter than fall?
No. All students stay on the same schedule.
 
Do I have to be employed by a lab?
No. We will place students in a clinical setting for hands on training. However, if you are employed by a lab in which you desire a clinical experience placement, your supervisor should make contact with program director so that an affiliation agreement can be signed.
 
How does an on-line HT program work?
Students will do all theory on-line. Student will have access to the online learning platform Blackboard. On this site, the student will log in and follow the schedule of assignments as directed, including reading assignments and written work, and participate in online discussions with classmates.

The clinical practicum courses require placement in the clinical facility for each of the 3 quarter.
  
Should I apply even though my pre-requisites will not be completed?
All prerequisites must be prior to the beginning of the program. On our application, you will need to indicate when you plan to take the prerequisites. You should submit your application, regardless of when you will finish the prerequisite courses.
 
What is the tuition rate?
Currently, in state tuition is $79 per credit hour, (this does not include application and lab fees or cost of textbooks). Out of state tuition is $175 per credit hour and international student tuition is $210 per hour. There are 17 credit hours in the program, excluding prerequisite courses.
 
If I am currently a non certified HT, can I get credit?
Students will need to submit a portfolio with experience signed by their supervisor. Once received, the Program Director and Education Coordinator will review the documentation to determine if and in which areas the student will receive credit. This credit is referred to as ‘non-traditional’ and requires a fee of $50 for processing.
 
How is the student evaluated?
We have a clinical practicum manual that contains competencies and evaluation forms etc that the student and clinical affiliates receive for this purpose.
 
Does the student get paid for doing clinicals?
The student will not get paid, but is expected to do some productive tasks (to learn the necessary skills) which include doing specimen pick-ups, case accessioning and slide filing.
The NAACLS’ service work policy prohibits using students as ‘slave labor’. However, they are expected to perform tasks that are part of the training and do this sufficient number of times to make certain that they can develop and maintain the skill. The standard that addresses this is #9C3. Follow this link to the NAACLS accreditation standards.

http://www.naacls.org/PDFviewwe.asp?mainUrl=/docs/standards ht.pdf