ASH Self-Assessment Program -- Preface

This fourth edition of the American Society of Hematology Self-Assessment Program (ASH-SAP) serves as a resource for fellows in training, both as a review and as a resource to prepare for subspecialty board certification. It is also intended for the practicing hematologist as an update in the discipline that also provides continuing medical education credit and points toward American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification.

ASH-SAP provides material that is up-to-date, concise, and presented in an easy-to-read format. As with other editions, the material in the fourth edition has been extensively peer reviewed by selected external reviewers, authors of ASH-SAP chapters, the ASH Committee on Educational Affairs, and members of the ASH Trainee Council.

The fourth edition of ASH-SAP encompasses pediatric and adult hematology, including benign disorders, malignant disorders, stem cell transplantation, laboratory hematology, and transfusion medicine. Each chapter has been updated from the previous edition(s), and the multiple-choice questions are new. Moreover, five new chapters that focus on areas of rapid change and significant importance have been added to the current edition. A major goal of the ASH-SAP is to provide challenging and informative multiple-choice questions for hematologists studying for certification or recertification exams. It has been said that, �the teacher�s job is to make the act of decision making so difficult that the student can escape only by learning.� Toward that end, the multiple-choice questions are challenging and designed to enforce an educational concept that is expanded upon in the critique.

In addition to updated text, the fourth edition has several other new elements:

A new chapter on plasma cell dyscrasias
A new chapter on thrombosis and thrombophilia
A new chapter on disorders of platelet number and function
A new chapter on bleeding disorders
A new chapter of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and related disorders
All-new case-based multiple-choice questions with critiques
Many new authors who are authorities in the topics they address
New and updated clinical vignettes
Updated links to other online resources including: PubMed articles, articles in Blood, ASH Image Bank case studies and image sets, and Hematology, the ASH Education Program Book

As with the previous edition of the ASH-SAP, the fourth edition builds upon the contributions of authors of the first, second, and third editions, whom we would like to thank and acknowledge. We would also like to thank the current chapter authors, ASH Executive Committee, ASH Trainee Council, ASH Education Committee, and ASH leadership for their valuable input and insight. We are again indebted to Mr. Charles Rossi, Consulting Editor. His expert consultative review of each multiple-choice question provided assurance of outstanding educational value and consistency. Ms. Helena Mickle very ably served as Managing Editor, organizing and coordinating all aspects of development and production. We also wish to acknowledge Cadmus Communications Corp., especially Ms. Eve Klein, for their assistance in the production of the printed books. Ms. Polly Siegel at HighWire Press was instrumental in producing the electronic component.

We hope that you find the fourth edition of ASH-SAP to be as valuable a resource as its previous editions, and we welcome your feedback concerning ways that we can continue to improve the usefulness and quality of ASH-SAP. Comments and/or recommendations can be forwarded to the ASH Education Department at cme{at}hematology.org.

Co-editors of the fourth edition of ASH-SAP:

Stephanie A. Gregory, M.D.

Rush Medical College/Rush University Medical Center

Keith McCrae, M.D.

Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, and Taussig Cancer Institute



SEARCH: Advanced		Preface This fourth edition of the American Society of Hematology Self-Assessment Program (ASH-SAP) serves as a resource for fellows in training, both as a review and as a resource to prepare for subspecialty board certification. It is also intended for the practicing hematologist as an update in the discipline that also provides continuing medical education credit and points toward American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification. ASH-SAP provides material that is up-to-date, concise, and presented in an easy-to-read format. As with other editions, the material in the fourth edition has been extensively peer reviewed by selected external reviewers, authors of ASH-SAP chapters, the ASH Committee on Educational Affairs, and members of the ASH Trainee Council. The fourth edition of ASH-SAP encompasses pediatric and adult hematology, including benign disorders, malignant disorders, stem cell transplantation, laboratory hematology, and transfusion medicine. Each chapter has been updated from the previous edition(s), and the multiple-choice questions are new. Moreover, five new chapters that focus on areas of rapid change and significant importance have been added to the current edition. A major goal of the ASH-SAP is to provide challenging and informative multiple-choice questions for hematologists studying for certification or recertification exams. It has been said that, �the teacher�s job is to make the act of decision making so difficult that the student can escape only by learning.� Toward that end, the multiple-choice questions are challenging and designed to enforce an educational concept that is expanded upon in the critique. In addition to updated text, the fourth edition has several other new elements: A new chapter on plasma cell dyscrasias A new chapter on thrombosis and thrombophilia A new chapter on disorders of platelet number and function A new chapter on bleeding disorders A new chapter of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and related disorders All-new case-based multiple-choice questions with critiques Many new authors who are authorities in the topics they address New and updated clinical vignettes Updated links to other online resources including: PubMed articles, articles in Blood, ASH Image Bank case studies and image sets, and Hematology, the ASH Education Program Book As with the previous edition of the ASH-SAP, the fourth edition builds upon the contributions of authors of the first, second, and third editions, whom we would like to thank and acknowledge. We would also like to thank the current chapter authors, ASH Executive Committee, ASH Trainee Council, ASH Education Committee, and ASH leadership for their valuable input and insight. We are again indebted to Mr. Charles Rossi, Consulting Editor. His expert consultative review of each multiple-choice question provided assurance of outstanding educational value and consistency. Ms. Helena Mickle very ably served as Managing Editor, organizing and coordinating all aspects of development and production. We also wish to acknowledge Cadmus Communications Corp., especially Ms. Eve Klein, for their assistance in the production of the printed books. Ms. Polly Siegel at HighWire Press was instrumental in producing the electronic component. We hope that you find the fourth edition of ASH-SAP to be as valuable a resource as its previous editions, and we welcome your feedback concerning ways that we can continue to improve the usefulness and quality of ASH-SAP. Comments and/or recommendations can be forwarded to the ASH Education Department at cme{at}hematology.org. Co-editors of the fourth edition of ASH-SAP: Stephanie A. Gregory, M.D. Rush Medical College/Rush University Medical Center Keith McCrae, M.D. Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, and Taussig Cancer Institute Copyright © 2010 by the American Society of Hematology.