I agree, it does seem silly that ASCP won't tell you up front if a
workshop is acceptable for meeting the QIHC CE requirements,
but will after you have taken the course.

The following is what I found on the ASCP Board of Registry Website.
I looked up what they said about renewing the Qualification in
Immunohistochemistry.

     "This Qualification may be revalidated every five years upon payment of
a
     fee (currently $50) and documentation of 30 contact hours of acceptable
     continuing education related to immunohistochemistry."

So now we have to define "acceptable continuing education related
to immunohistochemistry."

The QIHC test itself is comprised of the following, so I would assume
that "related to immunohistochemistry" relates to the following topics:

     "1.Select appropriate positive/negative controls and
fixation/processing
     control.

     2.Obtain properly fixed/processed and sectioned material.

     3.Perform nine immunohistochemistry procedures which may include:
                                           Immunofluorescence
                                           Immunohistochemical titration for
                                                  primary antibodies
                                           DNA probes
                                           Estrogen Receptors
                                           Phenotype T/B cells
                                           Antigen Retrieval

     4.Evaluate adequacy of staining results and identify possible sources
of
     error. "


So I would think that workshops related to these topics would
be acceptable. I wouldn't think routine histology or management
workshops would apply.

Fixation, if related to IHC, might apply. Paraffin microtomy or
frozen sectioning, if related to Immunofluorescence or other
Immunostains, might apply. Management, as related to
quality control or quality assurance in IHC, might apply.

But not these topics as related to, say, the PAS or GMS stains.

At least that is how I would interpret this.

But I've never taken the QIHC. (I teach the material to students,
but I don't work in the immuno lab.) So maybe someone who
has taken the exam, and who has sent in their CE in the past,
can tell us about their experience.

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


----- Original Message -----
From: "Cindy Chard-Bergstrom" <ChardB@vet.ksu.edu>
To: ">" <Histonet <histonet@pathology.swmed.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2001 12:43 PM
Subject: Re: IM CE for QIHC


I hope everyone has better luck than I did when calling to verify which
workshops, etc. qualify. I was told that when I sent in my fee and CE
information it would be determined at that time if the workshops, etc. that
I attended qualified or not. It seems to me that it is a little late, when
the 5 years is up and the paperwork is sent in, to find out that some of the
CE credits will not be accepted.

Cindy Chard-Bergstrom B.S.,HT(ASCP),QIHC
Microbiologist III
Kansas State University
chardb@vet.ksu.edu

>>> Lee & Peggy Wenk <lpwenk@mail.netquest.com> 05/28/01 09:58AM >>>
Peggy Wenk here.

If they want to "renew" the qualification, they must send in
$50 to ASCP Board of Registry, plus documentation of
30 hours of CE in immunohistochemistry in the previous
5 years.)

(Disclaimer: I can't guarantee that ASCP will accept
all these as acceptable CE. If you are uncertain, contact
ASCP Board of Registry at 301-262-6221.)