1.7.
EDUCATING ADMINISTRATORS AND CLINICIANS
11
library work, etc. Thus, three full-time investigators per microscope
probably is most efficient, particularly as some potential microscope time
inevitably is lost in its maintenance and repair. A university departmental
laboratory with a faculty director and two or three advanced graduate
students represents a very good working combination. Since not all of
the people will be equally skilled, the director will have enough trouble
guiding the activities of two or three people and supervising the maintenance of the microscope for them.
In some laboratories an effort is made to schedule the microscope time.
Although this may be a desperate resort when the microscope is being
overwhelmed, the method is basically inefficient. Who can say how long
it will take an investigator to look at sections from even a single block,
and assess and record what he sees? If one is testing a preparative technique it may take no more than five minutes of microscope time to
establish that it is worthless. On the other hand, a single sample of
experimental material may take hours and days of time to evaluate and
record. One day, all that is needed is a visual check that does not require
particularly good performance on the part of the microscope; the next
day, high resolution pictures may be required that demand the utmost
performance from the instrument, and perhaps a half day will be spent
"tuning" the microscope for this purpose. These problems work themselves out very efficiently in a small cooperative group without any formal
scheduling. Flexibility is an asset that leads to productivity.
There is an inevitable tendency for electron microscope laboratories
to grow by adding microscopes as well as personnel. Within limits this is
highly commendable. In more than one instance that this writer knows
of, however, quality has deteriorated as the quantity grew. Obviously
there is danger of the director and his well-trained associates becoming
swamped by the demands of instrumentation and training the inexperienced. The really successful large laboratories are those which support
more than one highly qualified investigator.
1.7. Educating Administrators and Clinicians
The director of any laboratory of electron microscopy doing tissue
work will be subject to heavy pressures from administrators and clinicians
who are apt to have some inkling of the "wonders" of electron microscopy but little knowledge of its problems. They think of electron
microscopy as a simple extension of light microscopy, and assume that
EDUCATING ADMINISTRATORS AND CLINICIANS
11
library work, etc. Thus, three full-time investigators per microscope
probably is most efficient, particularly as some potential microscope time
inevitably is lost in its maintenance and repair. A university departmental
laboratory with a faculty director and two or three advanced graduate
students represents a very good working combination. Since not all of
the people will be equally skilled, the director will have enough trouble
guiding the activities of two or three people and supervising the maintenance of the microscope for them.
In some laboratories an effort is made to schedule the microscope time.
Although this may be a desperate resort when the microscope is being
overwhelmed, the method is basically inefficient. Who can say how long
it will take an investigator to look at sections from even a single block,
and assess and record what he sees? If one is testing a preparative technique it may take no more than five minutes of microscope time to
establish that it is worthless. On the other hand, a single sample of
experimental material may take hours and days of time to evaluate and
record. One day, all that is needed is a visual check that does not require
particularly good performance on the part of the microscope; the next
day, high resolution pictures may be required that demand the utmost
performance from the instrument, and perhaps a half day will be spent
"tuning" the microscope for this purpose. These problems work themselves out very efficiently in a small cooperative group without any formal
scheduling. Flexibility is an asset that leads to productivity.
There is an inevitable tendency for electron microscope laboratories
to grow by adding microscopes as well as personnel. Within limits this is
highly commendable. In more than one instance that this writer knows
of, however, quality has deteriorated as the quantity grew. Obviously
there is danger of the director and his well-trained associates becoming
swamped by the demands of instrumentation and training the inexperienced. The really successful large laboratories are those which support
more than one highly qualified investigator.
1.7. Educating Administrators and Clinicians
The director of any laboratory of electron microscopy doing tissue
work will be subject to heavy pressures from administrators and clinicians
who are apt to have some inkling of the "wonders" of electron microscopy but little knowledge of its problems. They think of electron
microscopy as a simple extension of light microscopy, and assume that