Histology Program Student Orientation

1. Histology Program Student Orientation Welcome! We are pleased that you have decided to pursue your Histology Training at Columbus State Community College. We hope that this orientation presentation will provide the answers to any additional questions that you may have about the program.

2. Note: This presentation is intended to provide orientation information for those students intending to register for clinical practicum courses. If you intend to apply for non-traditional credit, please see the first orientation presentation which does not include clinical practicum experience information.

3. Program Mission “To provide a learning experience, that when successfully completed, prepares students to demonstrate those skills and behaviors congruent with those of the professional Histotechnician.”

4. Program Goals Provide a base of theory and practice that is appropriate to develop the entry-level skills of a Histotechnician. Provide a program with on-going review so that accreditation guidelines are maintained. Demonstrate support of the College’s Mission and goals. Support the profession of Histotechnology by preparing graduates who are competent in Histology skills and as members of the health care team. Prepare graduates to successfully complete a national certification exam.

5. Student Advising Academic advising questions: please contact the director of the Histology program, Peggy Mayo. Her office is located in Union Hall, room 519. Distance students may reach her at 614-287-2608, or 800-621-6407 ext. 2608,or via email at pmayo@cscc.edu Histology related course content questions: please contact the education coordinator at 614-287-5377 ext. 7668 (voicemail box) or at jweave01@cscc.edu

6. Student Rights As a CSCC Histology student you have the right to: Be treated fairly and equitably without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, nationality, age or disability. Expect safe work conditions. Know the policies and procedures of the Histology program and CSCC. Expect that all records will be kept confidential. Receive course syllabi, containing course objectives and evaluation policies

7. General Student Responsibilities Treat other students, CSCC and Clinical faculty and staff with respect. Cooperate with peers, CSCC and clinical faculty and staff. Demonstrate a responsible attitude toward your work and others Be knowledgeable about and abide by CSCC and Histology program policies and procedures. Bring ideas and concerns to the Program Director. Meet with the academic director regarding any academic concerns. Not misrepresent someone else’s work as your own. Practice safety precautions at all times.

8. Student Health and Safety A completed health record will be required to be on file at College Health Records office. All students are strongly encouraged to carry health insurance. All full-time students are eligible for low-cost group accident and illness insurance. You may have access to emergency services while at your clinical facilities. If you need assistance while on campus, you may call ext. 2525 from any campus phone. For any life-threatening emergencies, dial 911.

9. Liability Insurance Professional liability insurance is a clinical affiliate and department requirement. This insurance is provided to students through the clinical contract that Columbus State has made with each clinical affiliate. The College will provide this insurance as part of the student’s laboratory fees.

10. Program Curriculum The CSCC Histology certificate program is a NAACLS accredited program. The mission and program goals of the Histology program are directed at helping you achieve the competency and learning objective goals set forth by NAACLS as appropriate for the entry-level Histotechnician. Additionally, the program is designed to help you successfully prepare for the HT registry exam offered by the American Society for Clinical Pathologists (ASCP). Content will be presented to you in online lecture, and you will apply the learned concepts in an authentic clinical histology laboratory.

11. Lecture (theory) courses Lecture courses will be presented online using Blackboard. The lecture will supplement the information presented in assigned readings. You may be required to complete homework, view additional web pages, digital images, participate in online discussion boards, and other activities. These assignments and activities are designed to enhance your understanding of fundamental concepts used in the practice of Histotechnology.

12. Student expectations for lecture (theory) courses: You should obtain the required textbooks prior to start of the quarter. A textbook list was provided with your admission checklist. You need to check Blackboard announcements and your CSCC email account frequently, as this is the best way for instructors to communicate with you in an online forum. You are expected to complete assigned readings, discussion posts and other assignments by the posted due dates. Make-up work, and exams are at the discretion of the instructor for that course. Details about that instructor’s policy regarding make-up work will be found in the course syllabus. You must contact the instructor prior to the due date for assignments and prior to the exam date to make any arrangements for unforeseen circumstances that prevent you from completing items on time.

13. Content of Clinical Courses Each lecture (theory) course has complimentary clinical course. The clinical course will provide you with the opportunity to apply the theoretical concepts introduced in lecture in an authentic histology laboratory. You will immediately begin learning the manual skills and develop the expertise required to become a knowledgeable and proficient Histotechnician. You are expected to apply your knowledge and to practice the manual skills of the Histotechnician with diligence.

14. Student Responsibilities for Clinical Rotations Clinical experience is a privilege extended to you by the clinical facility. You must follow the policies and procedures regarding attendance, dress, identification, and behavior as described in your Histology Student Handbook. It is your responsibility to also abide by the policies of that facility. Please refer to the Histology Practicum Manual for more details about student clinical expectations.

15. Student Access to Grades At the beginning of each quarter you will be able to access the course syllabi on Blackboard. Each course syllabus will describe the objectives of the course and the criteria that will be used to evaluate your performance. You may check your grades on Blackboard at any point in the quarter. A competency checklist is utilized for evaluation in clinical courses. A minimum passing score for clinical performance will be identified in that courses syllabus. You will be evaluated at your clinical site on your proficiency at laboratory procedures and also on affective (professional behavior) objectives. You should contact your instructor for any questions regarding your grades or clinical evaluations. If you are not satisfied with your progress, contact your instructor or the education coordinator right away-do not wait until the end of the quarter!

16. Program Progress and Evaluation In each theory (lecture) course, examinations will be administered that measure your proficiency in each competency area. A passing grade is 75% proficiency. In clinical courses, you will be evaluated using the competency checklist. Satisfactory completion of a clinical course is defined as 80% competency. Passing grades are required to continue in the program. Failure of any course will require you to withdraw and repeat that course. Failing any course twice, or failing more than one course, will cause you to be permanently removed from the program. Re-admittance will not be permitted.

17. Competency checklists for Clinical courses: Students will be given learning objectives and tasks to be completed for each clinical course. This information will be posted on Blackboard. The student should fill out their clinical course assignments completely and return these to the instructor as clinical course assignments. These checklists will become documentation of your clinical experience and performance of specific laboratory procedures, and will be used to determine satisfactory completion of clinical courses. Before you turn in your checklist-please make a copy for your own records.

18. Evaluation of Students by Clinical Faculty: The Clinical Faculty will also evaluate your performance at your clinical site on specific laboratory procedures and also on your professional conduct by using the detailed criteria provided in the Clinical Practicum Manual. Your clinical instructor must fill out your evaluation completely and sign the form when you have completed your clinical practicum. Your evaluation forms must be turned into the Program Director, Peggy Mayo at the end of each quarter. Failure to turn in your forms prior to grade assignment will delay receiving a grade and credit for clinical courses. This documentation will become part of your permanent student records. Students will be given the opportunity to review these evaluations.

19. Clinical Placement Those students registering for clinical courses will be placed in a clinical facility during each of the three quarters of the program. This will be in an actual histology lab, and you will both interacting with histology staff, and working with actual patient specimens. For these reasons, this component of your education must be treated with extreme care. CSCC must conform to the availability of spaces with affiliated histology laboratories. Students will not be accepted into the program unless a clinical position is available. Clinical facilities may wish to interview students before placement into their facility. CSCC must also conform to the days and shifts that are available within these facilities to accommodate students. Because there may be more students than available clinical seats, the next slide will outline the criteria that will be considered in placing students.

20. Placement Criteria:The following list describes the criteria which may be applied in deciding student clinical placement: Students employed at an affiliated facility will have first choice for clinical placement at that facility. Students (completing all admission requirements), with the earliest date of application, will be given priority in placement. Clinical facilities may reserve the right to interview students for placement at their facility, and their preference for student placements will be considered. You may not request a placement change, unless you have been told by CSCC faculty that another placement is available. Please refer to the Student Clinical Experience Agreement, found in the Clinical Practicum Manual, for more details.

21. General Student Conduct Expectations while at the Clinical Facility No headphones are permitted. No cell phone or pager-please stow away or turn off. We suggest that you bring a small notebook with you to record questions/answers. If you are new to Histology, realize that your clinical experience can be compared to a long job interview. This is your chance to learn as much as you can, while showing potential employers that you are a reliable, capable, and motivated person. Even if you are doing your clinical at a present employer, this is still a great chance to demonstrate to your supervisor or manager your ability to grow and develop as an employee.

22. Termination/Removal from Clinical Experience: Please refer to your Clinical Practicum Manual for details of circumstances or behaviors that may lead to your removal from a clinical facility. Removal of a student from a clinical course will be determined by the Program director and/or the Clinical Supervisor or Manager. If your clinical experience is terminated, this will result in withdrawal from the course, and removal from the program.

23. NAACLS Service Work Policy Students are not permitted to take the place of qualified staff. Students are permitted to perform procedures only when supervised by qualified staff until competency is established. Students may be scheduled to perform procedures or run instruments after they have completed all the objectives in that competency area. Students may perform procedures however, when competency has been established in order to maintain proficiency in that competency area. If the student is also an employee, the student will not be evaluated as part of the educational process, when activities are performed while in the employee capacity.

24. How the next three quarters will be organized: The next few slides will outline what courses you will be enrolling in over the next three quarters as you complete the Histology program.

25. Histology Program: 1st Quarter You will be registering for: MULT 150 and MULT 151-Histologic Techniques-online lecture (3 credit hours) and clinical (15 clinical hours). You will learn the essential steps of the histology process. Students master embedding, processing and microtomy in an authentic clinical setting. MULT 152 and MULT 149-Tissue ID-online lecture (2 credit hours) and clinical (5 clinical hours). You will be introduced to tissue structure and microscopic identification techniques. Tissue structure is correlated with staining reaction.

26. Important dates for fall quarter: The Histology program begins in fall quarter, commencing on September 24th 2008. Registration for fall quarter courses begins on July 28th. Fall quarter ends on December 13, 2008.

27. Histology Program Content: 2nd Quarter You will be registering for: MULT 154 – Chemistry of Stains I-online lecture ( 3 credits) and MULT 155-Chemistry of Stains I-clinical ( 15 clinical hours) You will learn the fundamentals of routine and special histological staining theory, and apply these concepts in an authentic clinical setting.

28. Important dates for Winter quarter: Winter quarter begins on January 5th 2008. Registration for winter quarter is open beginning on October 27th 2008. Winter quarter ends on March 21st 2009.

29. Histology Program Content: 3rd quarter You will be registering for: MULT 156-Chemistry of Stains II-online lecture ( 2 credits) and MULT 157-Chemistry of Stains II-clinical (15 clinical hours) This lecture/clinical is a continuation of Chemistry of Stains I, and will cover special histology staining, immunohistochemistry, and troubleshooting techniques.

30. Important dates for Spring quarter: Spring quarter begins on March 30th 2009. Registration opens for spring quarter on February 2nd 2009. Spring quarter ends on June 13th 2009.

31. At the successful completion of this program: You will fulfill the eligibility requirements to take the national certification exam for the Histotechnician, offered by the American Society for Clinical Pathologists (ASCP). However, taking the ASCP exam is not a required component of the CSCC program.

32. Eligibility for ASCP certification exam Completion of this program will satisfy one available route to eligibility for the ASCP (HT) certification exam. The ASCP registry exam is administered by the Board of Registry (BOR). The BOR has been the primary certifying body for laboratory professions since 1928. A step-by-step guide to the BOR application process is available on the ASCP website: http://www.ascp.org The application fee for the exam is $ 175.00.

33. BOR application process for registry exams: Identify the exam and determine your eligibility. Gather your education and experience documentation. Apply for the exam (application + fee + documentation). Schedule your exam ( you will receive a letter that admits you for a 3 month exam period). We recommend that you take the exam as soon as possible. The exam is a Computer Adapted Test. You will receive preliminary results on the exam completion. You will receive your official results about 6 weeks from your exam date.

34. Other information sources: Please remember that you may consult your Histology Student Handbook and Clinical Practicum Manual for more information. You may contact the Education Coordinator with any questions or for clarifications. You may contact the Histology Program Director with any academic concerns. You may contact the course instructor for any course-specific questions or concerns. All contact information can be found on the Histology program website, and/or the course syllabus.

35. Important CSCC campus phone numbers: College Health and Records Office (health records and health insurance brochures) 614-287-2450 Admissions (welcome center) 614-287-2669 Records & Registration 614-287-3635 Financial Aid representative 614-287-2648

36. Other questions or concerns? If you did not find the answer to your question within the content of this presentation, please contact the Education coordinator and/or the Program director. We will do our best to answer any additional questions that you may have. Best of luck to you in the Histology Certificate Program at Columbus State Community College!