(PHOENIX, Ariz., May 24, 2004) – With three new hospitals opening in the Phoenix metro area in the next year, an increasing vacancy rate for histology technicians and a new national personnel standard for certified histology technicians to earn a minimum of an associates degree by 2005, Phoenix College has actively identified the need to develop a new Histology Technician Program to meet these industry demands.

This past April, Phoenix College eagerly launched a new healthcare program to ease and meet the labor market demands for histology technicians. Today’s multi-skilled histology technicians are needed in hospitals, research and reference laboratories and public health departments.

Histology technicians provide technical support to pathologists and researchers to assist in diagnosis and disease prevention through application of technical expertise in processing body tissues for microscopic examination. Their technical expertise to freeze and cut human tissues, prepare the tissue for placement on a slide and use of special stains to enhance the detail of cells under the microscope is a unique attribute of the practice.

Phoenix College Histology Technician Program Director, Julie Stiak reveals how important this unique histologic scope of practice is in two of the fastest growing professions in the local market area of healthcare and bioindustry.

“In 2000, the vacancy rate for histology technicians was 16.1 percent, which is even higher than the nursing shortage,” said Stiak. “Since then, that rate has progressively worsened over the past two years, prompting a widespread concern among healthcare professionals. This concern has allowed us to meet with healthcare professionals across the Valley to determine how Phoenix College can assist the growing needs of the healthcare community.”

The new Histology Technician Program provides students with the education and training they need to become workforce ready. Additionally, the program was designed to enable the histology student to work while going to school. Classes are scheduled on Saturdays for two, 16-week semesters and the student spends 80 hours in a clinical practicum every eight weeks of the two semesters.

Some of the techniques students will learn include:

--Performing frozen sections;
--Using tissue processors and strainers;
--Conducting quality control and quality assurance activities;
--Performing microtomy techniques;
--Using emedding techniques;
--Performing special stains;
--Observing autopsy techniques; and,
--Maintaining patient confidentiality.

The estimated salary range for histology technicians is $13 to $18 per hour depending on experience. The approximate cost for the Phoenix College program is $1,650, which includes books, laboratory fees and drug screening requirement for clinical practicums. Students will receive a certificate upon completion of this program. The Phoenix College Histology Technician Program offers both a Certificate and an AAS degree.

For more information on the Histology Technician Program, please call (602) 285-7735.

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