My Mohs Journey

It was 1986 when I took a job as a laboratory assistant in the pathology department at the former Park Ridge hospital in Rochester, NY. While there, I assisted with all tasks in the lab. Observing the work being done so closely in the lab certainly caught my interest. Day after day the thought of becoming a histotechnician intrigued me.

In 1993, I desired to see the world and spent the next 8 years serving my country in the U.S. Navy. Upon completion of my active duty, the transition from military to civilian life brought me back to histology. In 2003 I went to work as a lab assistant at ACM Medical Labs in Rochester, NY.

By 2008, I was grandfathered in as a licensed histotechnician by the State of New York.

An opportunity was presented in 2010 and I accepted a position as a histotechnician in a very busy Mohs practice within the University of Rochester. It was then that I discovered that working in Mohs histology was far different than work done in a pathology lab. Talk about trial by fire! I was in over my head, but failure was not an option.

Shortly after taking the job, I searched for help and found Jackie Marsing, a Mohs consultant located in Utah. So I packed my bags, flew out west and spent 3 full days training with Jackie. I packed as much training as I could in my time there and that experience alone was the turning point for me. From that moment on I set for myself both professional and personal goals in order to excel in my field.

Throughout my Mohs career, I have cut and processed tens of thousands of tissue samples. I have been integral in successfully opening 3 prominent Mohs labs from the ground up. I have passed many rigorous internal and state inspections. I have helped treat thousands of patients. I have worked for the best surgeon in the field. I understand first hand the stress that can fall upon a Mohs histotechnician. I also understand how important a good histotech is to the overall surgery process. The trust and communication between histotechnician and surgeon is pivotal to the overall success of the practice.

Fast forward to today, where I currently serve as the Senior Mohs Histotechnician with Rochester Dermatologic Surgery, P.C., the premiere dermatology surgery office in western New York state. My invaluable experience over the years has enabled me to strengthen and hone my skills. I am well prepared to share with you my knowledge and teach you what I have learned.

Let me help you, so you may know Mohs too!

Beth

My Experience

Histotechnician

ACM Global Laboratories, Rochester, NY

2003-2010

Mohs Histotechnician

University of Rochester, Rochester, NY

2010-2019

Senior Mohs Histotechnician

Rochester Dermatologic Surgery, P.C., Victor, NY

2019 - Present

Mohs Histology Advisor

2020– Present