More Testimonials

When I was 14 a family friend, head of surgery here in Birmingham, invited me to the hospital for a health fair. It ended up that I was able to observe him doing several surgeries and fell in love with the medical field. I started my Histology career in 1975 embedding tissue, moving to special stains and eventually in 1990 I became a senior histotech over Quality Assurance/Quality Control until moving to laboratory manager 5 years ago. I now travel for the department of Tissue Procurement managing 20 employees as well as being the Southern Division of the Cooperative Human Tissue network. Even though I am not working hands on with histology on a daily basis I maintain a love for the field and promote it as NSH PR Chair as well as to UAB students and faculty alike.

I highly recommend histology to students especially in today's market with the increasing lab personnel shortage. Money is no object in many parts of the country. For example: when I first started, I was making $5.25 an hour; today histotechs start out in Birmingham, AL making $15-$20.00 an hour with Senior Histotechs making $25-$28.00 an hour.

I have now been in histology 31 years and enjoy it as much or more today than when I began.

Paul Billings
Lab Manager, UAB Tissue Procurement

I got into Histology by way of military training. I had just graduated from college and wasn't sure what I wanted to do so I was exploring medical jobs the military trained you for. I knew I wanted to work in the medical field but I was looking for a skill that had practical real word applications so I did some homework and found Histotechnology. After graduating from Histology school I was assigned to work in a large military hospital. After about six months in the hospital I was transferred to the Research Division and 9 years later I am still working in research learning something new every day.

I have always had an interest in learning science and practically applying that knowledge to produce something. The field of Histotechnology has allowed me an opportunity to work with specimens ranging from human tissue to lobster claws. This field is growing exponentially and wherever your science interests lie there's probably a job in Histotechnology that can fulfill that for you.

Jason Burrill
Manager, Histology, Charles River Laboratories

Histotechnology is a field that I am privileged to be in. It affords many opportunities and challenges to those interested in science careers. I entered a histology training program without knowing much about it. I learned quickly and have continued the quest for knowledge in the profession for many years – from a clinical hospital setting, to the pharmaceutical industry, and currently, academic research. Over the years, I have gained technical skills, learned to troubleshoot in many areas, developed histomorphometry parameters, and served on boards and committees. It is a profession where we can contribute to patient care, industry specialties and veterinary research. Additionally, an education in histotechnology can be integrated into biotechnology fields.

It takes time to find the correct match in any profession. I look forward to how much more I can accomplish and contribute to this unique and interesting profession, whether by teaching an undergraduate, learning a new method for our research program, sharing expertise with colleagues or providing information in written form. Do consider this rewarding profession. You will not be disappointed!

For additional information on a histotechnology career in an academic setting, contact the NSH office and they will provide you with program directories.

Vicki Kalscheur, HT (ASCP) MLT
Department of Surgical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin

I finished college at the Univeristy of Arizona (UA) and graudated with a BA in English and a minor in Anthropology. My professional career after college began at Sunquest Information Systems (now Misys Healthcare Systems) where I wrote and produced online and print media for general laboratory, blood bank, and mircrobiology laboratory software products. My interest in histotechnology comes from my love of anatomy and anthropology. When I wasn't writing for Misys, I was volunteering on excavations for Desert Archaeology in Tucson or attending forensics smeinars through the UA Extended University. I screened dirt and picked through debris all over the Tucson basin and I was lucky enough to see the result at the archaeology laboratory: pottery shards, bone, glassware, and broken china. When my career at Misys ended with a company restructuring, I decided I wanted to stay in healthcare. I am channeling my interests in anatomy and anthropology into an Associates of Applied Science degree in Histotechnology at Pima Community College.

Sherri Lomayesva
Student, Pima Community College

I am passionate about histology. I trained as a "histo tech trainee" for one of my very first jobs at University of Pennsylvania Vet School. While there I got HT certified, worked in research then clinical labs and then went into marine biology. For my Master's I did histology on a tiny marine organism using TEM/SEM as well as light level histology. I then went on to work on my PhD, again using histology to study a unique marine organism. During the PhD, I did special stains on thin sections, immuno and confocal microscopy. I also taught as a TA undergrad in histology laboratories for my doctorate and then went on to teach Histology as a Professor.

This career has kept me fed, housed and very interested all my life! I still love to just look at the lovely stained slides on the scope for relaxation! I truly love everything about histology!

Judith L. Williams, HT(ASCP), PhD
Histology and Imaging Core Facility
University of Washington, School of Medicine
At South Lake Union
Seattle, WA