Operator training/marketability
Eric Martz (emartz@microbio.umass.edu)
Fri, 09 Sep 1994 14:13:48 -0500 (EST)
We offer our undergraduates some formal training in flow cytometry, as part
of an immunology laboratory course taken largely by candidates for the
B.S., often in microbiology, biochemistry, biology, or animal science. In
this context, I'm curious how much training an entry/apprentice level flow
technician typically needs in order to be hired under the supervision of an
experienced facility operator/manager. Consider a person with a B.S. in a
biological science and basic familiarity with the principles of flow
analysis and sorting, but experience limited to a formal exercise in cell
staining and data analysis; observation of data acquisition but no
hands-on experience with it. Is this person competitive at an entry level,
or is a higher level of flow training and experience nearly always
required? If the latter, where is such training/experience typically
acquired?
On a related note, during the past 6 months, 11 job openings have been
announced on this list. Only 3 of these were open to B.S. candidates
with no flow experience (experience of course preferred even for these).
What does this mean? Does it mean that nationwide, there are far more
senior flow operators than junior ones? Or does it mean that junior
positions are easier to fill and less likely to be listed here?
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Eric Martz, Professor of Immunology emartz@microbio.umass.edu
Dept Microbiology Voice: 413-545-2325 FAX: 413-545-1578
Morrill IVN 203, Box 35720, Univ Massachusetts, Amherst MA 01003-5720
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CD ROM Vol 2 was produced by staff at the Purdue University Cytometry Laboratories
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If you have any comments please direct them to Dr. J. Paul Robinson, Professor & Director, PUCL,
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907. Phone:(317) 494-0757; FAX (317) 494-0517; Web http://www.cyto.purdue.edu
EMAIL robinson@flowcyt.cyto.purdue.edu
