Program Highlights
The fellowship program consists of one year of specific training as directed by the American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). At the conclusion of this year, the fellow should be eligible to sit for the Transfusion medicine subspecialty board exam administered through the College of American Pathologists (CAP). An additional year of research may be available.
The goal of the fellowship in Transfusion Medicine and Blood Banking is to provide comprehensive training in transfusion medicine, immunohematology, and blood banking.
Following the fellowship, each fellow should be familiar with the basic principles of:
- Blood groups
- Compatibility testing
- Blood and blood component therapy
- Adverse effects of transfusion
- Blood donor recruitment and selection
- Blood collection
- Transmissible disease testing
- Apheresis including therapeutic apheresis
- Bone marrow and stem cell processing
- Laboratory administration, and total quality management
The fellow should have a working knowledge of the regulatory aspects involved in blood donor collection and transfusion medicine services. The fellow will obtain this comprehensive training by experience at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) and the American Red Cross (ARC). fellow provides medical direction to the transfusion service under the supervision of the staff. This includes attending morning rounds, following up on appropriate cases, reviewing antibody workups, reviewing platelet transfusions and evaluating transfusion reactions. The fellow will also supervise the blood and component therapy of patients undergoing massive transfusion especially in the operating rooms or the emergency department.