Absolute accuracy here is a ponderous burden, but its all in a days work.
Their work is largely unseen by the public, but they are essential to the healthcare process.
Tell us a little about yourself and your experience.
What drove you to choose your career path?
Originally I wanted to be a nurse.
I was waitlisted for the nursing program.
After two years of college classes and my prerequisites completed, I simply had to wait to get in.
Literally the next day I received a flyer about the histotechnican program atMt.
San Antonio College, which I was attending while waiting to get into nursing school.
For once I listened and enrolled.
Ironically, the month I graduated I finally was accepted into the nursing program.
How did you go about getting your job?
What kind of education and experience did you need?
Luckily I knew what pop in of histotechnican position I desired right out of school.
During the two years in the program, we intern EVERYWHERE.
Hospitals, vet clinics, small labs, giant labs, coroner offices, etc.
I needed to be constantly challenged and not just be pushing samples through processes.
Luckily, when I graduated I was already employed, fortunately!
What kinds of things do you do beyond what most people see?
What do you actually spend the majority of your time doing?
That is the part that truly hooked me in this career.
Looking at human tissues at a cellular level, stained in contrasting colors, its a beautiful thing.
We take the sample from the door to the beginning of the molecular testing.
We verify there are enough cancer cells and that they are of decent quality.
What misconceptions do people often have about your job?
We are required to know what we are prepping, and troubleshoot if anything is not perfect.
This means knowing tissue structures, stain components, and any chemical reactions that arent performing.
We work closely with pathologists to perfect the stains, to provide the best materials for them.
I continue to learn even 10 years in.
What are your average work hours?
What personal tips and shortcuts have made your job easier?
Most of my connections were made then, and it is a small world.
Not to mention you get to test out jobs!
If you hate it you’re able to walk away when your hours are done.
Strive to learn all the inner workings of a laboratorythe bench is only a part.
How are supplies ordered and quality controlled?
What kind of standards of operations are in place, and how can we streamline them?
What can we do to stay ahead of the curve?
A proactive approach in any laboratory will be beneficial to the employees!
What do you do differently from your coworkers or peers in the same profession?
I ask questions and get involved when I am needed.
My goal is to be an integral laboratory employee, essentially be as cross-trained as possible!
The culture is just that at my lab: we are small and cross-training is almost a necessity.
Whats the worst part of the job and how do you deal with it?
The worst part is knowing that there are scared patients on the other end waiting for the result.
Most importantly, the CORRECT result.
So much of their lives are changed by the information we generate for them.
Whats the most enjoyable part of the job?
I get to hang with scientists and technicians all day.
I see them more than my family, so I guess its good that I like them so much.
We are a little nerdy science family!
What kind of money can one expect to make at your job?
Someone five to ten years [into their career] range from $70,000 to $85,000 annually.
At Agendia we get 401k, health, dental, and vision as well.
How do you move up in your field?
And dont burn bridges.
Constantly keep learning, and make yourself a valuable employee by cross-training if possible.
What advice would you give to those aspiring to join your profession?
Get into an accredited school, and take your internships seriously!
This interview has been edited for clarity.
If youd like to share your career, email us at[email protected].
Photo byscience photo(Shutterstock).
