by Victor Fang
Hematologists are experts in any kind of disorder relating to blood, including blood diseases, blood cell development, and the lymphatic system. The word hematology can be broken up into 2 parts; hema- means blood, and -ology means a branch of science. The treatment of blood disorders is more important than you think, as there are many causes: nutrition deficiencies, bone marrow complications, congenital disorders, blood clots and bleeding problems, the list goes on! Hematologists play a big role in one’s well-being, since every organ in the human body requires a healthy blood supply!
These blood specialists work in hospitals, blood banks, and clinics. A significant portion of the job is pathology: running lab tests on blood or examining blood samples under the microscope. This is to identify and diagnose possible immune, blood, or bone marrow disorders a patient may have. Some example complications that hematologists treat are anemia, blood clots, cancers, sepsis, hemophilia, sickle cell disease, and neutropenia. Some other responsibilities hematologists may have are researching treatments for diseases, treating cancer (oncology), and administering further tests/referring a patient to other specialists.
A few common tests and procedures that hematologists regularly perform include blood tests to monitor blood cell counts, blood transfusions to replace lost blood, prothrombin time tests to check for bleeding or clotting complications, bone marrow transplants, and chemotherapy in the case of cancers. Hematologists may not always be directly involved in patient care. Often, they work in a team along with a primary doctor or pediatrician who works with the patient, as well as lab technicians who draw blood from the patient for lab analysis. They may also work with surgeons or oncologists if surgery or chemotherapy is needed.
The journey to becoming a hematologist takes 9 years at minimum. A bachelor’s degree is followed by four years of medical school. After, students will begin their residency, which lasts three to five years. Finally, two to three years of fellowship training is required before a doctor becomes a hematologist.
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