This third 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. ABIM awarded ASH the ability to provide 70 points toward Maintenance of Certification as a result of the ASH-SAP case-based multiple-choice questions’ merit and its thoroughness as a complete hematology educational resource.

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 third edition has been extensively peer reviewed by authors of the other ASH-SAP chapters, the ASH Committee on Educational Affairs, and members of the ASH Trainee Council.

The third edition encompasses pediatric and adult hematology including benign disorders, malignant disorders, stem cell transplantation, laboratory hematology, and blood banking. Each chapter has been updated from the previous edition(s) and the multiple-choice questions are new. A major goal of the ASH-SAP is to provide high-yield 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 third edition has several other new elements:

• A new chapter covering Plasma Cell Dyscrasias
• All-new case-based multiple-choice questions with critiques
• Additional authors to add depth to the content
• 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 current edition reflects the combined efforts of authors involved in previous editions. The third edition would not have been possible without all of those participating in the first and second editions. We would also like to thank the third edition 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, Managing Editor of Self-Assessment Programs at the American College of Physicians. His expert consultative review of each multiple-choice question provides the highest educational value and consistency for their educational objectives, structure, and critiques. Mr. Ryan Cliche 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. Andrea Clemente, Ms. Tracey Franklin, and Ms. Ruth Bloom 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 third edition of ASH-SAP to be as valuable a resource as its previous editions, and we welcome your feedback for ways that we can make the ASH-SAP more useful. Comments and/or recommendations can be forwarded to the ASH Education & Training Department at cme{at}hematology.org.

Tulane University School of Medicine
New Orleans, LA

Rush Medical College/Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, IL