Hi -

This is for people studying for the HT or HTL exam.

I had promised Histonet this information last week, and
just realized I hadn't followed through.

The Michigan Society of Histotechnologists has a
workbook/study guide to help people study for
the HT/HTL exams. It is an outline of what you
need to know, with spaces to write in information.
Such as:
- medical terminology - lists of words a candidate
needs to know (denature, putrefaction, etc.) with
a space after each so the person can write in the
answer.
- information about fixation (how it works, chemicals
used, etc.) with a list of fixative the person needs 
to know, organized into categories (these are the
picric acid fixatives, these are aldehyde, etc.). 
Then there is a chart for the person to copy (xerox)
for each of the fixatives. In the chart, there are
headers that the person has to find the answers to
and fill in for each fixative. Such as: chemicals
used. Function of each chemical. When to use this
fixative. When not to use this fixative. Length
of time for fixation. Hazards. Etc.

This pattern repeats throughout the workbook. Part
information, part worksheets. (Hence the title
study guide and workbook.) Processing, staining,
immuno, lab math, decalcification, equipment,
sectioning, etc.

Designed to help the person study in an organized
way.

It was put together by many of the officers and
chairs of MSH, some of us teaching in schools, 
most of us teaching about histotechnology 
in state and national symposiums, and all of us
having passed the ASCP certification exams.

This is either the 3rd or 4th edition (I don't
remember). We keep updating it, to include
new procedures, so to keep up-to-date with
the ASCP HT/HTL exams. That's not to say we
cover EVERY possible topic. None of us are
on the ASCP histotechnology exam committee,
so we don't really know EVERYTHING on the
exam, but we do try to keep current by talking
with people and students who have recently
taken the exam.

Some labs use it as a "training manual" for
the people they are training/teaching on-the-job.

If anyone is interested, send your name and address,
with a check made out to "Michigan Society for
Histotechnologists" for $18.00 (US funds) to:

Bettye Amos
Study Guide Coordinator
3816 Park Forest
Flint, MI 48507

As I said in my email last week, I am a member
of MSH, and MSH does make some money off of this,
which is used to support our society. I personally
do not make any money off of this.

Hope this is helpful to those learning about
the field of histotechnology.

Peggy A. Wenk, HTL(ASCP)
William Beaumont Hospital
Royal Oak, MI 48073