For more information contact:
Email: hspmaa@gwumc.edu
Phone: (202) 994-4241

Military Program
Master of Science in Health Sciences: Immunohematology

Program Requirements

Degree Requirements

Eighteen months of full-time study (56 semester hours) are required for completion of the program.

Course Requirements

Biochemistry

Biochemical principles as related to blood cells including metabolism, enzymology, protein synthesis and structures, nucleic acids, lipids and carbohydrates.

Clinical Immunology: Principles and Laboratory Diagnosis

Principles of immunology and immunohematology as related to discipline of transfusion medicine. Topics include the formation of the immune system, tolerance, hypersensitivity, and other immunological principals as related to blood disorders and therapy. Review of recent developments in molecular immunology such as the organization and rearrangement of genes encoding immunoglobulins, histocompatibility antigens, T-cell receptors, and recombinant immunological molecules.

Seminar in Immunohematology

Topics will change yearly and may include current Federal, state, and international regulations that govern the blood bank industry, laboratory research related to blood products, new product and practice guidelines, legal, social, and ethical issues related to transfusion medicine.

Research Methods for Health Professionals

Methodological issues of basic, applied, and clinical research. Students develop the knowledge and skills to critically appraise and synthesize research results, analyze qualitative and quantitative data, evaluate evidence-based methods, develop research questions, and identify appropriate inquiry methodologies. Stu¬dents become familiar with all elements of a research proposal, including those relating to the use of human subjects and informed consent.

Independent Study for Health Professionals

Independent study involving analysis of a clinical topic, a patient education project, or an on-site mentored clinical research practicum.

The Health Care Enterprise

An overview of global business principles related to health care systems: man¬agement of patient-centered care delivery; marketing, finance, and fiscal manage¬ment principles; information, technology, regulatory and quality improvement.

Immunogenetics

Genetic characteristics of blood group systems including molecular and Mendelian genetics, paternity testing and karyotyping.

Hematopoiesis and Blood Pathophysiology

Morphologic and physiologic characteristics of the circulatory system with emphasis on both pathological conditions that affect blood production and oxygen carrying capacity. Effects of stress upon the circulatory system to include types of leukemia, lymphoma, anemia, hemoglobinopathies and coagulopathies.

Specialized Practicum

Theory and practice of blood banking in different settings. A realistic approach to blood and blood product needs, collection, testing, transporting and transfusing in different situations.

Immunoserology

Theory and current practices for the detection, identification and quantification of antibodies and antigens.

Clinical Immunohematology

Exploration of topics related to donor collection, blood component preparation, quality assurance and quality control, component and therapeutic apheresis, adverse transfusion reactions and incompatibilities.

Immunohematology Seminar

Seminar covering current research into serologic techniques of Immunohematology. Topics may include ABO & Rh typing, antibody detection and identification, crossmatching, antigen phenotyping, cord blood and RhIg evaluation.

Organization and Management of Blood Banks

Principles of clinical laboratory management and administration specifically related to transfusion medicine.

Clinical Practicum in Blood Collection

Supervised practice in donor selection, screening and collection. Policies and special instructions when drawing autologous or directed donations. Instrumentation of component or therapeutic apheresis.

Blood Cell Cryopreservation

Theory and practice of freezing and deglycerolizing red cells for use in autologous or allogenic transfusion situations.

Automation in the Blood Bank

Computer integration and validation procedures, and serological instruments will be discussed. Students will tour blood bank reagent manufacturers and compare different methodologies.

Clinical Blood Banking Practica

Clinical practice and participation in an active transfusion service under the guidance of qualified teaching supervisor.

Biological Documentation Techniques

Biological literature retrieval, bibliographic techniques, data storage.

Applied Marketing

Theory and clinical practice of marketing skills specific to the maintenance of a safe and readily available blood supply.

Research Project

Research project preparation under advisor.