The Division of Hematology
supervises the care of patients with
hematologic disorders and conducts special clinical programs for
patients with hematologic
malignancies, coagulation disorders and
platelet dysfunctions. Basic molecular and cellular research is
conducted on cell proliferation,
hematopoiesis, cellular ion transport,
platelet physiology and hemostasis. Clinical studies include evaluation
of new therapies
in patients with thrombocytosis or
thrombocypenia, molecular studies of genetic variants in patients with
hypercoaguable states,
protocol therapy of hematological
malignancies, and tranlational research in hematologic neoplasia. The
division trains graduate
and postgraduate research trainees, clinical
and research fellows, students and residents. Visiting scientists from
around the
world are often in residency in the division.
The
Division of Hematology offers electives lasting a minimum of one month
for fourth year medical residents. The elective provides
a balance between the experiential and
didactic approach. Each resident is provided with a brief, formal
introduction to blood
banking, the routine hematology laboratory
(emphasizing blood cell counts), the special coagulation laboratory, the
special hematology
laboratory (emphasizing red clood cell
hemoglobinopathy abnormalities), and radiation therapy. Throughout the
elective, residents
learn blood cell morphology under the guidance
of attendings, fellows and laboratory personnel. Each resident receives
an atlas
of blood cell morphology. Residents are
exposed to both outpatient and inpatient hematology. As a result of the
division’s
reputation as a referral center for patients
with unusual hemotologic disorders, residents see many such patients.
Faculty participate in organized weekly meetings, which include a review of all patients seen that week, and a major didactic conference on a single subject organized by the fellows. Under supervision, residents evaluate a select number of patients whose illnesses are most likely to illustrate the fundamental diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in hematology.
Individualized electives may be arranged in basic research or clinical projects.
The division offers a combined three-year fellowship in conjunction with oncology, leading to board eligibility in hematology and oncology. The fellowship is a combined University Hospital and Medical Center-VA Medical Center program. At both hospitals, the inpatient services are organized as teams with one or two fellows and an attending faculty physician assigned to the service each month. Both hospitals have active outpatient services where fellows take primary responsibility for managing a wide variety of cases. Radiotherapy, blood banking, and special hematology laboratory rotations are included. An active bone marrow transplant program at University Hospital provides experience in transplantation care. Research laboratory experience is offered in the second and third year.