transfusion medicine

[0382938]

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I'm a medicine resident considering a fellowship in transfusion medicine. Can anybody give me any info about what a career in transfusion medicine looks like (e.g. can one have a decent amount of patient exposure?), what job prospects are like, and how competitive the fellowship is? Thanks!

 

[yaah]

Not that competitive. A good candidate shouldn't have trouble landing one, although you might have to be flexible with where you go if you don't have an "in" at some program. There aren't a ton of fellowships, that's why I say that.

As far as a career in it, can't help you much there as you are not a pathologist. Clinicians can run TM departments in addition to their other clinical duties, but there aren't a ton of opportunities outside of academia for full time TM appointments, to my knowledge. Getting a job at national organizations like red cross can be challenging, from what I have heard.

 

[earmuff]

At my hospital, our blood bank is covered by heme-onc attendings on weekends, etc. They are EXTREMELY good.

We did have a "temporary" medicine attending who had done a transfusion medicine fellowship. This person was a bit rusty and hadn't done much blood banking apart from the fellowship.

It seems clinicians usually continue with their respective services in addition to covering the blood bank, sort of like moonlighting. I guess it pays pretty well to cover calls... Not much work either.