A hematology program is considered a postgraduate course, typically a fellowship. The fellowship does not result in a specific degree but is considered an advanced training program. The fellowship lasts for three years and has all of the course and clinical work needed to sit for the hematology certification exam. Many programs offer a combined hematology/oncology program. The first year of the hematology course focuses on the clinical aspect of hematology, with the second and third years devoted to clinical or laboratory research. Several schools and medical centers that offer hematology fellowships include Johns Hopkins University, the University of Maryland, Stanford University, Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Moffitt Cancer Center.
Typical coursework in a hematology school includes blood disorders, hemostasis, red and white blood cell disorders, thrombosis, stem cell transplantation, hematologic neoplasm and blood transfusions. It is possible to specialize in a particular field, such as pediatrics or internal medicine.
Besides clinical training, research is part of the hematology fellowship. Research can be either laboratory or clinical. Many clinical studies are carried out in hematology, dealing with cancer patients. Clinical research may focus on how lifestyle, health, medication and other factors can affect different aspects of hematology. Laboratory research may focus on treating blood diseases with new drugs and treatments, particularly those that are in development and cannot yet be tested on patients.
After the fellowship training is completed and the student has finished the hematology program, he must pass the certification exam sponsored by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Hematology training for this certification exam must be from schools that are accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or the Professional Corporation of Physicians of Quebec. Certification is not granted for training from programs outside the U.S. or Canada.