Sally, I started in Electron Microscopy after taking a two-year EM course at Delta College in Stockton, CA. I had never seen a histology lab before starting work at Valley Medical Center in Fresno, CA. I gradually started helping out in histology when I didn't have enough EM work to keep me busy. I started by coverslipping, worked into special stains, then cutting (though I never really cut very much). I started the immunohistochemistry service there in 1983. The guys in our lab (literally - we had four men, no women!) started a study group to work on the HT test and we took that in 1989, all passing. Later I took the HTL and passed that. After I left Valley Medical center ion 1993 I worked primarily in immunohhistochemisty and managed histology labs. I went to Saudi Arabia for 5 years, then Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, into industry with Lab Vision (IHC Autostainer and reagents - a very eye-opening education on the vendor side of things!), and now back to histology at University of California, San Francisco Medical Center.
Histology is so varied and hands-on that it is always interesting. There is always something new coming along. I started in histology just before the IHC revolution, when virtually everything done in histology was based on 50 to 100-year-old technology. Now we are at the forefront right along with every other lab discipline. It has been a good ride all the way. Tim Morken Supervisor, Histology / IPOX UCSF Medical Center San Francisco, CA -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Breeden, Sara Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2010 5:09 AM To: histonet Subject: [Histonet] Histo Stories Thanks to everyone that sent their Story of How I Ended Up Doing This Histology Thing! I have gotten 50 or more replies! The one thing that strikes me is how many of us went into this profession without a clue! With all the opportunities to recruit future histologists, this Histology Day idea is a good start. On the original subject, I'm planning to make one document out of all the replies and - WITH PERMISSION - attach your name to the answers. If you do NOT want your submission listed because you want to remain anonymous, you must let me know ASAP. Send to: [email protected]. Thanks for your stories! Sally Breeden, HT(ASCP) NM Dept. of Agriculture Veterinary Diagnostic Services PO Box 4700 Albuquerque, NM 87106 505-841-2576 _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
