Histology aging workforce and what to do about it

There are 28,400 histotechs now working in human surgical and forensic pathology, half of whom will reach retirement age within the next 4 years, and to compensate for those retiring and to increase their number to the 31,200 needed in 2015, a 3-pronged solution is required. Firstly, each individual medical laboratory has to implement a uniform salary scale for all its members with equivalent professional level that will probably delay the retirement plans of some histotechs and will allow the flow of personnel between its different areas. Secondly, a new certification of “qualification in histology” should be created so medical technologists can cover for retiring histotechs and also could find new working positions in laboratories that may be contemplating staff reductions because of more productive instruments and workflow schemes. Finally, given the historical examination passing rates, it is necessary to enroll at least 4,965 students in accredited histology programs (709 annually), and for this to happen, either the present number of 33 programs has to be increased by 17 (to a total of 50) with a similar capacity each to those now in operation or 2 to 3 distance learning programs with a capacity of 85 to 125 each have to be created after the example of some already existing. This solution will also require that local students soon to enter junior colleges are informed about these programs and work opportunities. To assure the success of any of the 3 approaches, it is imperative that the pathologists get involved, individually for the first one, and collectively for the other two; the pathologists should bring these solutions to their respective societies and college boards and meetings and sound the alarm on this problem that will adversely impact their work and their overall patient care. The pathologists have to be aware of this very grave situation—that the histotechs' retirement clocks are ticking and that the time to act is now!