Fellowship training programs in blood banking and transfusion medicine: results of a national survey

This report details the results of a 1995 survey of the 40 fellowship training programs in blood banking and transfusion medicine in the United States approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Fellows primarily enter transfusion medicine training after completing a pathology residency, and are subsequently employed in an academic or university setting, or a blood donor center. Program directors indicated that either the current level, or fewer, transfusion medicine specialists will be needed in the future. The educational content of fellowship training was examined, as well as aspects of proficiency and competency in several areas. Research is an important part of most fellowship programs, and a majority of program directors felt that some formal training in clinical medicine should be a part of fellowship training in transfusion medicine. The information obtained from this survey should be helpful to both fellowship applicants and program directors in delineating important aspects of fellowship training in blood banking and transfusion medicine.