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More Reasons to Become a Hematologist…

December 30, 2021

In last month's Editor's Corner, Keith Stewart, MBChB, MBA, asked readers why they chose to join the ranks of the International Society of Bloody Cytotoxics (i.e., pursuing a career in hematology). After sharing the results of an entirely non-scientific survey of his colleagues (such as "I experienced a strange thrill after using the longest needles ever made" and "I misspelled ‘hepatologist' on my fellowship application"), Dr. Stewart asked readers to share their own motives behind becoming a hematologist.

Shelley Sahu, MD, a fellow in Hematology and Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, wrote in with her own reasons:

  • Getting to say "hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis" as a diagnosis, which no one else seems to have heard of (outside of rheumatology). That impresses
  • Describing the misnomer that is a lupus anticoagulant is so satisfying, every single time.
  • Being a hematologist is "bloody awesome" (courtesy of my co-fellow).
  • A cardiology ICU attending once said to me, in a moment of frustration, "There's nothing benign about benign hematology." (He happened to be my brother.)
  • I once described to my mother, an engineer for NASA (a literal rocket scientist), what the field of hematology and transfusion medicine was. Her response? "This is too complicated."
  • In oncology, there are too many new drugs coming out too fast. Who can keep up?

Thanks for sending, Dr. Sahu!


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