Additional Information
Level of instruction: Basic
Intended audience: Clinical laboratory histotechnologists, histotechnicians, and other medical laboratory personnel who have an interest in this subject matter. This course is also appropriate for histology and clinical laboratory science students, pathology residents, and practicing pathologists.
Author information: Diana Harrington, BS, HT(ASCP) is a histotechnologist at The Dermatology Center of Indiana. Since graduating from Indiana University, she has worked in various hospital laboratories as a medical technologist and histotechnologist. Her experience led her to teach IU students as a Clinical Education Supervisor and create the Histotechnology Program as Program Director for Keiser University in Florida.
Reviewer information: Donna M. Hedger, BS HT(ASCP), is currently a sales specialist at MediaLab. After graduating from Georgia Southern University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, she spent 25 years working in the operations of the healthcare laboratory at Northside Gwinnett (formerly Gwinnett Medical Center). During her tenure there, she worked in various roles, including phlebotomy, lab assistant, pathology assistant, histology technician and more recently as the manager of the Pathology Laboratory for 18 years. She is a certified histology technician.
Course description: This course, the second in the dermatological specimens series, addresses the most common concerns of working with dermatology specimens and provides tips to create high quality slides for the dermatopathologist. Explored topics include optimal processing, sectioning, and recut protocols for skin biopsies, shaves, and excisions. The histomorphology of skin is reviewed and commonly used H&E and special stains are discussed. Possible sources of problems are also investigated and solutions are applied to prevent artifacts on skin sample slides.