HemostasisCME.org

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A New Learning Program on Hemostasis for Residents, Fellows, and Medical Students

Another learning program? One might ask why introduce another learning program for learners when there are so many programs that residents, fellows, and medical students have to go through. Clearly there is a plethora of ways to assimilate knowledge in the medical field; however, the field of hemostasis has always been challenging to residents, fellows, and medical students. Every time I have entered into a discussion or given a didactic presentation on some aspects of hemostasis, I have noted that learners are better able to understand a concept and practical applications when taught by a clinician entrenched in this field, as compared to reading from a standard textbook or hearing the same in a medical school lecture (not that they don’t do a great job in framing the minds and setting the stage of these young learners). With this impetus and need in mind, HemostasisCME.org is hosting an initial educational program dealing with some of the more common issues that residents, fellows, and medical students face on a busy hematology/oncology ward service or general medical/pediatric floor. What better time to launch this program than at the beginning of the academic year. Information about the availability of these learning activities will be disseminated to medical schools and universities, so that interested learners may avail themselves of this opportunity.

Hemophilia and other bleeding and clotting diseases present complex clinical, psychological, and social problems. Furthermore, diagnostic tests, through a specialized hemostasis laboratory with technicians experienced in diagnosing disorders associated with abnormal bleeding or thrombotic complications, are crucial to effective management. Nuances associated with these tests are an important learning issue. Providing optimal care to patients with these diseases cannot be learned from any one textbook, practitioner, or clinician. We hope this educational initiative will complement other modes or venues of learning and will provide education from a clinician’s viewpoint. As we develop more materials to address a variety of hemostatic topics, it is our hope that this information will be instructional, understandable, accurate, and up-to-date.

Target Audience

The learning activities are primarily intended for residents and fellows in the field of pediatric hematology/oncology; however, medical students, practicing physicians, and other health care professionals involved in the care of patients with hemostatic disorders will also significantly benefit from these activities.

Topics and Faculty

A set of 4 topics led by experienced clinicians will set the stage for future topics. The topics and the presenters for this edition of the program are:

• Coagulation Assays: Appropriate Workup and Interpretation
  David Green, MD, PhD
  
  

• Diagnosis and Treatment of von Willebrand Disease
  Joan Cox Gill, MD
  
  

• Inhibitor Development in Hemophilia: Practical Considerations(NEW)
  Leonard A. Valentino, MD
  
  

• Diagnosis of Thrombocytopenia in Children(NEW)
  Diane J. Nugent, MD
  
  

Dr. David Green is Schweppe Professor of Medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago with extensive experience in the management of hemostatic disorders.

Dr. Joan Cox Gill is Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Director of the Comprehensive Center for Bleeding Disorders at BloodCenter of Wisconsin. She is experienced in the management of patients with vWD and other bleeding disorders in the pediatric population.

Dr. Leonard A. Valentino is Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Rush Medical College in Chicago as well as Director of the Hemophilia program. He is an experienced clinician in the management of patients with hemophilia, with and without inhibitors.

Dr. Diane J. Nugent is Director of the Region IX Hemophilia Treatment Center at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County in California. She is also Director of the Hemostasis/Thrombosis Program and the Blood & Donor Services at the same location. She specializes in all aspects of hematology, bone marrow failure, anemias, immune disorders, bleeding and clotting disorders.

Format

This entire initial program will be structured as a series of 4 learning modules to be posted online as printable files. The modules will focus on key topics in the diagnosis and management of pediatric patients with coagulopathies and other hemostatic issues. Each module will include interactive case studies that will reinforce the teaching points presented in the module and provide an opportunity to put newly gained knowledge into practice. As participants work their way through the case studies, commentary from expert clinicians will accompany the key teaching and testing points for each case.

We hope this program will be an exceptional educational activity for residents, fellows, and medical students. We would love to hear your comments on the program, its format, and other topics that you would like to see addressed. Happy learning!

Sincerely,

Prasad Mathew, MD, FAAP
Professor of Clinical Pediatrics
Director, Hematology/Hemostasis Program
University of New Mexico Health Science Center
Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Sponsored by: The FCG Institute for Continuing Education

The FCG Institute for Continuing Education
gratefully acknowledges an educational grant from
Novo Nordisk Inc. in support of this Web Site