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Choosing a medical specialty is one of the most important decisions you will make as a medical student. As your medical school training progresses, start to think about the type of work you want to do and where you want to work. While there are many options to consider when determining your career path, a career in hematology can satisfy any interest and desired work setting.

Create a free ASH account to gain access to valuable resources that will be critical to your training and career development in classical or malignant hematology. No membership is required.

Explore a Career in Hematology

Did you ever think that you could use zebrafish to help discover new treatments for cancer or create artificial red blood cells to combat the rising need for blood transfusions? How about performing a stem cell transplant to treat otherwise incurable genetic and autoimmune diseases?

You can do all of this and more as a hematologist.

Hematology is the study of blood, blood forming tissues and organs, and blood disorders. Hematologists research, diagnose, and treat various blood disorders, including anemia, blood clots, bleeding disorders, and blood cancers.

Because blood runs through every organ and tissue in the body, hematology has an enormous ripple effect extending to all fields of medicine. Modern advances made by hematologists have helped millions of people around the world, not only with blood disorders but also with heart disease, stroke, and scores of inherited diseases.

Find inspiration from prominent leaders in the field as they remember the moment that they decided to pursue hematology.

Hematology Education and Training

The educational path of a hematologist in the U.S. includes:

• Four years of medical school
• Three years of residency to train in a specialized area, such as internal medicine or pediatrics, and learn elements of patient care
• Two to four years of fellowship for further training in a subspecialty, such as adult hematology, pediatric hematology/oncology, or pathology

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Career Options for Hematologists

As a hematologist, you will have various career options available. Depending on your interests, you may choose one of the following paths after completion of the fellowship:

• Practice in a private, group, or hospital-based practice if you have a preference for patient care.
• Apply for a position in academic medicine as a junior faculty member, assistant professor, instructor, or assistant/associate staff member if you have an interest in conducting research and/or medical education.
• Work in the corporate sector, which may provide greater compensation than academia for basic or laboratory investigators. However, keep in mind that many corporations require three to five years of experience beyond the fellowship.
• Seek another fellowship or employment at a government agency, such as the National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, or Centers for Disease Control.

Hematology Scholarship Opportunities

Each year, ASH awards more than $4 million in educational grants to benefit young scientists. Learn more about the various ASH awards available to medical students and residents:

Additional Resources

• Finding a Mentor

  Having the right mentor can have a tremendous effect on your development as a hematologist. Learn how to identify a mentor and how to get the most from the mentor-mentee relationship.

• Grants Clearinghouse

  An extensive list of hematology grant opportunities provided as a service by the ASH Trainee Council to aid trainees in their search for grant information.

• Hematopoiesis

  A quarterly newsletter containing short articles on topics of interest to trainees. The e-newsletter showcases the many tools provided by ASH for trainees, identifies opportunities in the field, and offers tips from trainees.