Sharp Copley lab team gets City of San Diego declaration

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Thanks to the hard work of the anatomical pathology lab team at Sharp, histotechs, who prepare specimen slides for pathologists, now have their own day in San Diego.

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In San Diego, March 10 will forever be named Histotechnology Professionals Day. This declaration came about due not only to the tireless work of this specialized group but also the dedication of Sharp’s lab team, who have worked for years to get the day recognized.

An official declaration document is now displayed at Sharp’s Copley Laboratory. It was signed by Mayor Todd Gloria and hung proudly at a recent ceremony, surrounded by all who contributed to the honor.

“Histotechs work behind the scenes, which is why this declaration is especially important,” says Leslie Lim, supervisor of anatomical pathology at Sharp Laboratory Services. “Our role is to prepare specimen slides for pathologists. And since the work we do isn’t seen by the general public, it’s great to know that it’s recognized by our peers and government leaders.”

The role of histotechnologists

Histotechnologists, or histotechs for short, are essential in the medical testing and diagnostic process. When tissue samples are taken from a patient by their surgeon, they need to be prepared to be examined. This is where histotechs come in. They embed the tissues in wax, cut and stain the slides, and then pass them on to the pathologist, who then analyzes the sample to make a diagnosis.

Histotechnologists also perform testing procedures. They are highly trained, use very specialized technology, and must be absolutely meticulous, as many of the samples they work with are irreplaceable. They work around the clock, with a 24-hour turnaround time, and can be very hard to find, both nationally and at Sharp.

“There aren’t a lot of people who do what our histotechs do,” says Lim. “There is one school in Indiana that offers instruction to obtain certification or an associate degree. However, due to difficulty getting into the program, a lot of the training for it ends up being on the job, as more general lab techs — with completed prerequisites — learn and move into the role.”

Lanny Mickelson is an example of this. He has been a histotech at Sharp for 53 years but got his start as a lab generalist. A pathologist convinced him to give histology a try, and Mickelson eventually became a lead at Sharp Chula Vista. Today, he is a quality control expert, focusing on gastrointestinal cases.

“I have seen histotechnology evolve and improve,” he says. “It is great to see such an interest in people taking on this important role. I have stayed for this long because I love what I do, and I love the people who share in the work we do. It is surely a labor of love, and we are proud of the fact that we make a difference.”

Recognizing the histotechnology team at Sharp

With an average of 7,000 slides prepared per week, Lim, who is a member of the National Society of Histotechnology, knew she needed to help shed light on the team. While March 10 honors the field nationally, there wasn’t a formal recognition in the City of San Diego. So, Lim wrote the mayor — for 3 years — to make it happen.

She finally received the news she had been waiting for — an alert from the City of San Diego director that the declaration had been drafted, signed and ready to be presented to her team.

“This is a true testament to our incredibly hard-working histotech team,” says Dr. Omid Bakhtar, a pathology doctor with Sharp HealthCare. “They work around the clock, morning through night, ensuring that doctors get the answers they need to focus on healing their patients. I’m proud of the work they do and the honor they have received from the City.”

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