Hematology
 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
|
| System | Hematopoietic system |
|---|---|
| Subdivisions | Transfusion medicine |
| Significant diseases | Anemia, leukemia, lymphoma. |
| Significant tests | Blood film, bone marrow biopsy |
| Specialist | Hematologist |
| Occupation | |
|---|---|
| Names |
|
Occupation type | Specialty |
Activity sectors | Medicine |
| Description | |
Education required |
|
Fields of employment | Hospitals, Clinics |
Hematology (spelled haematology in British English) is the branch of medicine concerned with the study of the cause, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to blood. It involves treating conditions that affect the components of blood, such as blood cells, platelets, clotting factors, and hemoglobin and other blood proteins, as well as the sources of production of these components, such as bone marrow and the spleen. Examples of hematologic disorders include anemias, blood clotting and bleeding disorders, and blood cancers such as leukemia, multiple myeloma, and lymphoma.[1]
Scope
Physicians (medical doctors) specialized in hematology are known as hematologists. Their work involves caring for patients with hematologic diseases, both in the hospital and the clinic. Hematologists are formally trained in diagnosing and treating both classical (noncancerous) and cancerous hematologic disorders; some hematologists specialize in one or the other, while some continue to see both types of patients throughout their careers.[1] Examples of conditions treated by hematologists include:
- anemias, such as iron deficiency anemia, sickle cell anemia, and aplastic anemia
- hemoglobinopathies, such as thalassemias and pathologic hemoglobin variants
- bleeding disorders, such as hemophilias and von Willebrand Disease
- clotting disorders, such as Factor V Leiden, antiphospholipid syndrome, and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia
- blood cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma
- disorders requiring blood transfusions (see transfusion medicine)
- aftermath of bone marrow transplantation.[1]
Physicians who are not specialized in hematology can and do provide care for patients with hematologic disorders. For example, if a patient is found to have anemia while in the hospital for another problem, the physician caring for them can begin a workup to figure out why the patient is anemic and may choose to initiate treatment for the anemia. However, if initial testing does not provide a definitive answer or if the anemia is found to be particularly complex, that physician may choose to consult a hematologist to advise on more specialized or advanced next steps.[1]
In contrast to hematologists, who work directly with patients, hematopathologists are laboratory-based physicians who view blood films and bone marrow slides under the microscope, interpret various hematological test results and blood clotting test results, and write up their conclusions in reports which can then be used by hematologists and other physicians to dictate diagnoses and treatments.[2]
Training Pathway
To become a hematologist in the U.S., one must:
- complete a four-year medical degree (MD or DO)
- pass USMLE step 1 and USMLE step 2
- complete a three-year residency in internal medicine or pediatrics
- pass internal medicine or pediatrics board exams
- complete a three-year fellowship in hematology-oncology
- pass hematology and/or oncology subspecialty board exams.[3]
References
- 1 2 3 4 "What Is Hematology?". www.cancer.org. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- ↑ "Hematology – Pathology Reference Lab | Pathology Lab in San Antonio, TX". www.pathreflab.com. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- ↑ "What is a Hematologist?". Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
Notes
This article is a direct transclusion of article and therefore may not meet the same editing standards as LIMSwiki.
