I noticed, as I was teaching residents, that Blood Banking was often the "forgotten rotation" in Clinical Pathology. I met residents from around the country who told me that their Blood Bank rotation consisted of the following conversation with an attending pathologist: "Here's the beeper. Go buy a book. See you in three months" (I'm exaggerating, but not by much). I discovered that I have a passion to help others learn about Transfusion Medicine, so I decided to try and do something about it with this site. My approach is informal and sometimes irreverent, but my intention is always to communicate things in a way that helps them stick in your mind.
I do have a few qualifications, in case you are interested in that kind of stuff. I am boarded in Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine, as well as in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology. I did my pathology training and blood bank specialization at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC between 1991 and 1999. Since 1999, I have been the Medical Director of Blood Services at North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, CO. In 2006, I became an Associate Medical Director for Bonfils Blood Center in Denver and I became the Laboratory Director for LABS, Inc, an independent clinical laboratory in Denver, in 2007. For the last eleven years, I have been privileged to be the regular Blood Bank lecturer for the Osler Institute's Pathology Review Course. I'm a runner, a bass player, a singer, and definitely not a fighter!
What's the deal with the name? Am I really THE Blood Bank Guy?
Well, no, I'm not the only Blood Bank Guy. I'm really not that impressed with myself! The name came from the fact that people came up to me at the Osler course all the time and asked, "Are you the blood bank guy?", by which they meant, "Are you that stupid blood bank lecturer that holds everyone hostage for hours on end?" Since people referred to me by that name anyway, I just decided to steal it and use it for the web site. I suppose, to sound less arrogant, I could just call myself a Blood Bank Guy, but that sounds pretty stupid, doesn't it? How about this: "I'm a person who really likes Blood Banking and enjoys helping others learn about it." Good Lord, that is so weak! I guess I'll just stick with "The Blood Bank Guy" for now.