Citations 79

Significant Variability in the Initial Workup of Thrombocytopenia in the Hematology Clinic - What Is the "Optimal" Workup?

Blood | November 17, 2019 | Volume: 128 | Issue: 22 | Pages: 5966-5966

10.1182/blood.v128.22.5966.5966

Abstract BACKGROUND: Thrombocytopenia is a common hematologic condition associated with multiple etiologies ranging from benign to malignant to potentially life-threatening disorders. Given the heterogeneity of clinical presentations, available clinical information, and pertinent clinical history, there are inter-physician variations in the approach to the workup of thrombocytopenia in the hematology clinic. While a limited test repertoire may be adequate for many cases, more extensive testing may be warranted in others. We were interested in analyzing the various tests performed and testing approaches in the initial workup of thrombocytopenia. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 69 patients who were referred to our center between 2010 and 2015 for an initial workup of thrombocytopenia. We collected epidemiologic data, laboratory testing results, and pathologic findings. Pathologic results were classified as "normal" or "abnormal" and further subcategorized on the basis of review by two clinicians. Quantitative data were analyzed using JMP Pro 10.0.2 software. RESULTS: At the time of thrombocytopenia diagnosis, the median age was 59 years (range: 17-90) and majority were males (65%). The median platelet count was 91,000/µL (range: 3,000-146,000). Isolated thrombocytopenia was present in 51 cases (74%). Forty-four patients (64%) had a peripheral blood smear review and 4 (9%) contained abnormalities including hypogranular neutrophils, rouleaux formation, and target cells. Autoimmune workup included anti-platelet antibody (APA) in 34 (49%), anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) in 21 (30%), lupus anticoagulant (LA) in 4 (6%) and rheumatoid factor (RF) in 13 (19%) of cases. Autoimmune testing was positive for APA in 2 (5.9%), ANA in 4 (19%), LA in 0 (0%), and RF in 1 (8%) of patients who underwent testing, respectively. Common infectious workups included human immunodeficiency virus in 23 (33%), hepatitis A virus in 2 (3%), hepatitis B virus in 11 (16%), hepatitis C virus in 22 (32%), Epstein-Barr virus in 5 (EBV, 7%), cytomegalovirus in 7 (10%) and Helicobacter pylori in 5 (7%) of patients, and were negative in all cases except for one patient with evidence of active EBV infection. Sixteen patients (23%) underwent bone marrow biopsy, and 2 (12.5%) were diagnosed with hematologic malignancies including myelodysplastic syndrome and hairy cell leukemia. Based on results of these tests, 28 (41%) patients were diagnosed with primary immune thrombocytopenia, 19 (27%) with thrombocytopenia secondary to another medical condition, and 22 (32%) with thrombocytopenia of undefined etiology. CONCLUSION: Thrombocytopenia is a common laboratory finding, and workup involves significant inter-clinician variation, often involving multiple laboratory tests and in some cases invasive tests such as bone marrow biopsy. We found that autoimmune causes of thrombocytopenia were moderately common and infectious and malignant causes were rare. Our findings were based on a small cohort of patients but are likely to be representative of the clinical practice in a large tertiary care center. Large scale studies may be warranted to devise a protocol for a thorough yet cost-effective and stepwise initial workup of thrombocytopenia and to minimize unwarranted inter-clinician variation in such investigations. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Sex Differences in Faculty Rank and Leadership Positions Amongst Hematologists and Oncologists in United States: A Cross-Sectional Study

Blood | November 14, 2019 | Volume: 134 | Issue: Supplement_1 | Pages: 3399-3399

10.1182/blood-2019-130670

Introduction: We have previously reported underrepresentation of female faculty at senior academic ranks in hematology/oncology (H/O). In this analysis we aimed to investigate the influence of sex in attaining leadership positions amongst academic hematologists/oncologists in United States. Methods: Faculty members were identified at 146 H/O fellowship programs listed on fellowship and residency electronic interactive database (FREIDA.) Data was collected on demographics, academic rank and research output using Doximity and Scopus databases. We compared the unadjusted characteristics of men and women by using two-sided t-tests and χ2 tests where appropriate. In primary analysis, logistic regression models were used to evaluate sex differences on probability of having full professorship (versus assistant and associate professorship) and of achieving leadership positions including division chief, Program Director (PD) and Associate Program Director (APD). Adjusted models included the following variables: clinical experience in years, number of publications, h-index, appointment at top 20 hospital, clinical trial investigator status and National Institutes of Health funding. Stratified analysis was performed adjusting for duration of clinical experience (≤15 vs >15 years) Results: Fewer women were full Professors (21.9% vs 78.1%), division chiefs (16.7% vs 83.3%), and PDs (30.5% vs 69.5) but the number was similar for Associate Program Directors (47.1% vs 52.9%). In a univariate unadjusted model, women were less likely to be full professors compared to men (OR 0.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.31-0.48; P<.001). However, in the multivariable adjusted model no statistically significant sex difference in full professorship was found (OR 1.05; 95% CI 0.71, 1.57; P=.85; Table). The likelihood of full professorship was positively associated with clinical experience in years, number of first/last author publications, h-index, and being a primary investigator on at least one clinical trial.In a univariate unadjusted model, women were less likely to be division chiefs as compared to males (OR 0.35; 95% CI, 0.16, 0.80; P=.01). However, in the multivariable adjusted model, there was no statistically significant sex difference in achieving the position of division chief (OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.20, 1.58; P=.28; Table). No significant difference was found between females and males for being program directors or associate program directors in both univariate and multivariate analysis. Similarly, a stratified analysis adjusting for duration of clinical experience (≤15 vs >15 years) found no significant sex differences in attaining leadership position (Table) Conclusion: We found that women are underrepresented at higher academic ranks and in leadership positions in hematology/oncology, but that sex is not a significant negative predictor to women obtaining leadership positions after correcting for traditional predictors of academic success. However, "non-traditional" and therefore less measurable and analyzable factors such as networking, mentorship, sponsorship, gender bias, balancing work and home responsibilities and many others may contribute and should be further investigated. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Desideromastica: Tactile Chew Cravings in Iron Deficiency Anemia

Blood | November 14, 2019 | Volume: 134 | Issue: Supplement_1 | Pages: 4815-4815

10.1182/blood-2019-127306

Introduction: The compulsive craving and consumption of non-food substances, known as pica, is a well-documented symptom associated with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Olfactory cravings associated with IDA are a recently described phenomenon known as desiderosmia. In our practice we observed a subset of patients with IDA who report specific tactile cravings associated with mastication. Methods: This study included patients from the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) and Ankara Training and Research Hospital (Ankara, Turkey) Hematology practices who self-reported tactile mastication cravings during initial evaluation for IDA between 1/1/18 and 6/30/19. Information including sociodemographics, substance craved, values of hemoglobin (Hgb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and ferritin before and after iron replacement therapy, and symptom resolution after treatment were recorded. Results: We observed 12 patients with IDA who self-reported chew cravings during initial evaluation. All patients were female and the median age was 41.5 years (33-59). Of these 12 patients, median baseline Hgb, MCV, and ferritin were 9.4 g/dL (6.6-12.9), 73.7 fL (59.1-95.1), and 6 µg/L (2-21), respectively. Tactile cravings included chewing gum (3), mastic gum (2), ginseng (1), dry oats (1), crackers (1), pickles (1), chips (1), sawdust (1), and knitting rope (1). Many patients reported the frequency and satisfaction of these cravings resulted in jaw pain as well as the persistence of cravings despite this discomfort. Only 16.7% (2/12) reported concurrent ice pica. In total, 9 patients proceeded with observed treatment of their IDA with clinical follow-up and laboratory confirmation of iron repletion. Oral (ferrous glyconate or ferrous fumarate) and intravenous (ferric carboxymaltose, iron sucrose, or low molecular weight iron dextran) iron replacement were used in 33.3% (3/9) and 66.7% (6/9) patients, respectively. Post-treatment median laboratory values include: Hgb 12.7 g/dL (10.8-14.7), MCV 80.1 fL (76.1-91.7), and ferritin 98 µg/L (24-398). Overall, 88.9% (8/9) reported resolution of chew cravings after iron repletion. The lone patient with persistent symptoms had a baseline ferritin of 10 µg/L, improved to 398 µg/L after replacement, and settled back at 42 µg/L three months later. Discussion: Our patient experience provides suggestive evidence that oral tactile craving symptoms, distinct from ice pica, exists in a subset of patients suffering from IDA. For this, we propose the term "desideromastica" derived from the Latin words "desiderare" for desire and "mastica" for chew. "Desidero" can also be indicative of a reduction in iron, which relates to iron deficiency. Our hope in naming this relatively unexplored symptom associated with IDA will encourage additional clinicians to share their experience and guide future investigation. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
What's in a Name? a Gender-Based Analysis of Speaker Introductions at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting

Blood | November 14, 2019 | Volume: 134 | Issue: Supplement_1 | Pages: 3411-3411

10.1182/blood-2019-131484

Introduction: Several recent studies have shown a gender disparity in professional doctoral introductions at major medical conferences, with female speakers being less likely to be introduced with a professional title. We sought to examine whether a similar disparity existed at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, 8 investigators reviewed available presentations from video archives of the 2018 ASH Annual Meeting. Presentations were excluded if gender could not be identified and/or speaker did not have a doctoral degree. We collected data on speaker gender, speaker academic/non-academic rank, speaker geographic location, speaker training status, speaker session type and introducer gender were all collected. A "professional address" was defined as either "Dr. [First and Last Name]" or "Dr. [Last Name]." Descriptive statistics and regression modelling were used to analyze the data. Results:Of the videos reviewed, 645 presentations were eligible for analysis; 380 (59%) speakers were men and 264 (41%) were women. A comparison of male and female speaker cohorts is seen in Table 1. Forty-eight percent of both men and women held a Medical Doctor degree (MD), and the rest were MD/PhD or PhD graduates. Substantially more men (28%) were full professors compared to women (13%). Almost half (47%) of session types for both men and women speakers were designated as "basic science." In an adjusted analysis, more women (N=174, 66%) compared to men (N=225, 59%) received a professional address (P&lt;.01). 43% of women were introduced by a female introducer and 42% of men were introduced by a female introducer (P=.79). In addition, 48 of the introducers (19%) for women and 68 of the introducers (18%) for men had a PhD or MD/PhD. In a logistic regression model adjusting for session type, academic rank, degree, geographic location, trainee status, and gender of introducer, there were no significant gender-based differences in professional introduction [Table 1; Odds Ratio (OR) 0.71, P=.06]. In addition, speakers with MD introducers were more likely to have a professional introduction compared to PhD introducers (OR 2.15, P=.03) regardless of sex. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that women were at least as likely as men to receive a professional address at the 2018 ASH Annual Meeting. These results differ from previous studies of other professional medical conferences. These findings may reflect the strong presence of PhD graduates as both speakers and introducers. Both forms of bias (gender and degree-based) merit further study and interventions including speaker training to ensure combatting unconscious bias. Disclosures Velazquez: Midatech: Other: Husband owns stock in this company; Portola Pharmaceuticals: Other: Husband owns stock in this company; Corbus Pharmaceuticals: Other: Husband owns stock in this company; Johnson & Johnson: Other: Husband is employed by this company.
Mentorship Experiences Among Second-Year U.S. Hematology/Oncology Fellows in the 2019 ASH Hematology/Oncology Fellows Survey

Blood | November 14, 2019 | Volume: 134 | Issue: Supplement_1 | Pages: 2124-2124

10.1182/blood-2019-132252

Mentorship Experiences Among Second-Year U.S. Hematology/Oncology Fellows in the 2019 ASH Hematology/Oncology Fellows Survey Introduction: The majority of fellows graduating from U.S. hematology/oncology training programs pursue careers incorporating both fields, albeit with a greater focus on medical oncology than on hematology. Over the past 15 years, the number of physicians in the U.S. identifying as hematologists or seeking certification in hematology has been dwarfed by those identifying as medical oncologists or seeking oncology certification, with only a small percentage of fellows having a primary interest in benign hematology. In response to these concerns, in 2017 the American Society of Hematology (ASH) launched a multiyear study of the U.S. hematology workforce in clinical practice, research, and training in collaboration with the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity at the George Washington (GW) University. The initial phase of the ASH workforce study was a survey of over 1800 hematology/oncology fellows conducted in 2018, which identified clinical exposure to hematology during training, research experiences, and mentorship to all be positively and strongly associated with career interest in hematology. A follow-up survey of second-year hematology/oncology fellows was competed in 2019, focusing on career interests, mentorship, and job expectations. The present study reports findings of second-year fellows' perceptions regarding mentorship. Methods: The 2019 Hematology/Oncology Fellows Survey was developed by ASH and GW investigators. Survey questions asked about fellows' career and research interests, clinical exposure during training, mentorship, and perceptions of job security and availability after fellowship. Mentorship questions focused on specific mentorship activities (e.g., coauthoring papers, participating in research projects, developing networking, career advice), perceived mentorship needs, and overall satisfaction with mentorship. The survey was pilot-tested in a small group of second-year hematology/oncology fellows. The final survey was sent electronically to second-year fellows in U.S. hematology/oncology fellowship programs (n = 735) in the spring of 2019 using Qualtrics. Descriptive analyses were performed using Stata 15. Results: Among 212 second-year fellows with complete responses (28.8% response rate), 5.2% declared a primary interest in benign hematology, 20.8% malignant hematology, 30.7% solid tumor oncology, and the remainder some combination of hematology and oncology. The vast majority of survey respondents (83.3%) intended to dual board in hematology and oncology. About one-third (31.9%) reported having a new or continuing mentor in benign hematology during their second year of fellowship, compared to 51.2% in malignant hematology and 60.8% in solid tumor oncology. Less than half of all fellows (45.4%) indicated that their training program had a formal mentorship program. When asked to indicate domains where they wanted more support from mentors, second-year fellows prioritized career development strategies (69.9%), job options (43.7%), optimizing fellowship experiences (41.3%), manuscript review prior to submission (19.4%), clinical trial design review (17.5%), and grant review prior to submission (17.5%). The vast majority of fellows expressed a definite (69.7%) or possible (8.7%) interest in interacting with a mentor virtually via Facebook, Skype, email, or other media if in-person mentorship meetings were not an option. Conclusions: Second-year hematology/oncology fellows in the U.S. reported a wide range of mentorship needs and interests. Most second-year fellows believe they could use more advice from mentors about career development strategies. Few fellows have a primary interest in benign hematology, and the percentage of fellows who report having mentors in benign hematology is lower than malignant hematology or solid tumor oncology. The vast majority of fellows are interested in virtual mentorship if local mentorship is not available. Further expansion of existing mentorship systems and the development of new mentorship models including virtual mentorship may improve the mentorship experience for fellows. Disclosures Connell: Michael H. Flanagan Foundation: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.
Associations between hematology/oncology fellows’ training and mentorship experiences and hematology-only career plans

Blood Advances | October 31, 2019 | Volume: 3 | Issue: 21 | Pages: 3278-3286

10.1182/bloodadvances.2019000569 | PMID 31698456

Key PointsClinical, research and mentorship experiences in hematology are positively associated with fellows' plans to pursue hematology-only careers.
Inpatient Outcomes and Rates of Venous Thromboembolism and Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage in Patients with Gastric Cancer: Results from Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database 2009-2014

Blood | October 14, 2019 | Volume: 132 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 5882-5882

10.1182/blood-2018-99-120128

Abstract Background: Gastric cancer is one of the most pro-thrombotic tumor types, and after accounting for prevalence, it may be responsible for a significant burden of cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE). Patients with gastric cancer are also at high risk for gastrointestinal bleeds (GIB), making primary thromboprophylaxis and anticoagulation an ongoing treatment challenge. Due to these competing risks, patients with gastric cancer may not be eligible for clinical trials of thromboprophylaxis and treatment of cancer-associated VTE. Additional information regarding the severity and outcomes of both gastrointestinal hemorrhage and VTE in patients with gastric cancer would be useful to guide clinical decision-making. Aim: To determine the annual rates, inpatient mortality, length of stay and cost of VTE- and GIB-related admissions in patients with gastric cancer. Methods: We queried the 2009-2014 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, a nationally weighted hospital admissions database developed for the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, to identify adults (age ≥ 18 years) hospitalized with gastric cancer. Hospitalizations in which VTE or GIB were among the top-five discharge diagnoses, were considered an admission complicated by one of these events. In-hospital outcomes of patients with VTE were compared to those with GIB. We used linear regression models to analyze trends in outcomes over time and binary logistic regression with forward modeling to identify predictors of inpatient mortality. All statistical analyses were conducted with SPSS, version 24 (IBM, Armonk, NY). Results: Among a total of 253,680 admissions with gastric cancer, 17,831 (6.7%) experienced a GIB whereas 10,992(4.2%) had VTE. Of those patients who experienced VTE, the majority (49.7%) developed pulmonary embolism, followed by lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (41.8%) and upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (8.54%). The patients included in this study were mainly white (53.7%) men (63.6%) with a median age of 67 (IQR:20) years; and a mean of 6 (SD: 2.83) chronic medical conditions. The annual GI bleed rate remained stable during the study period (16% in 2009 to 17.2% in 2014: p = 0.67) with a significant downtrend in inpatient mortality (18.8% in 2009 to 13.7% in 2014: p <0.01). In contrast, the annual rates of VTE-related admissions showed a small but significant uptrend (15% in 2009 to 18.1% in 2014: p <0.01) and an uptrend in the inpatient mortality during the study period (15.7% in 2009 to 19.2% in 2014: p <0.01). The overall inpatient mortality was higher among patients with VTE than with GI bleeds (10.2% vs 6.5%, p < 0.01; OR univariate: 1.51, CI: 1.42 - 1.61, p < 0.01). The negative effect of VTE on inpatient mortality persisted after adjusting for possible confounders such as metastatic disease, several comorbidities and demographics (OR: 1.39, CI: 1.30 - 1.49, p < 0.01). The VTE-associated admissions had a slightly longer length of stay (median, 6 vs 4 days, p < 0.01) with a significantly higher cost compared to GI bleed ($45,599 vs $31,219, respectively, p < 0.01). Conclusion: In this NIS cohort of hospitalized patients with gastric cancer, GIB was more frequently observed than VTE, but those with VTE had higher inpatient mortality, longer length of stay, and higher hospital costs. Clinicians should be aware of patient-specific risk factors for both VTE and GI bleed and take these factors into account when discussing VTE prophylaxis and treatment with patients. Future studies should look to identify those patients with gastric cancer who would benefit most from primary VTE prophylaxis as well as identify ideal agents for the treatment of gastric cancer-associated VTE. Figure. Figure. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A Single-Institution Retrospective Study of Causes of Prolonged Prothrombin Time (PT) and Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT) in the Outpatient Setting

Blood | October 14, 2019 | Volume: 132 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 2281-2281

10.1182/blood-2018-99-109833

Abstract Background: Prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) are screening tests of hemostasis commonly ordered for anticoagulant therapy monitoring, evaluation of bleeding, screening for acquired or inherited deficiencies of coagulation factors, and preoperative screening. Evaluation of a prolonged PT/aPTT is best accomplished in an algorithmic fashion consisting of mixing studies and factors assays or inhibitor testing as indicated. However, there is little data available on frequency of conditions that may result in abnormalities of PT/aPTT. The Special Coagulation Laboratory (SCL) at our institution offers an algorithmic approach termed Prolonged PT/aPTT Profile (PT/aPTT profile). Aim: To review our institutional experience with PT/aPTT profile testing (indications and outcomes), and to provide clinical correlation of abnormal PT/aPTT tests on patients seen at our institution in an effort to explain common causes of altered hemostatic testing in outpatient clinical practice. Methods: In this retrospective study, following IRB approval, we reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent outpatient PT/aPTT profile testing in the SCL at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota between 2010 and 2017. Data abstracted included patient demographics and clinical presentation, indications for testing, use of anticoagulants, medical diagnoses which could potentially influence coagulation, and results of hemostatic testing (Table 1). Statistical analyses were completed using SAS 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, North Carolina). Continuous variables are presented as median (range) while discrete variables are summarized as frequency (percentage). Comparisons of clinical characteristics between groups are made using the rank-sum test for continuous variables. Statistical significance is defined as a 2-tailed P value of less than 0.05. Results: A total of 107 patients met our study criteria, 58 (54 %) male, median age 55 years (range 1-89). Indications for testing included prior prolongation of PT (48%), PTT (29%), PT and aPTT (8%) on outside coagulation testing performed in a non-SCL setting, clinical bleeding episodes (10%) and preoperative screening (5%). Patients with established medical diagnoses known to influence coagulation testing including solid tumors, hematologic malignancies, liver disease, renal disease, autoimmune and rheumatologic conditions and pregnancy were documented along with other baseline patient characteristics (Table 1). SCL PT/aPTT profile testing revealed normal results in 29 of 107 (27%) patients on repeat testing while 78 patients warranted further evaluation of which 27 (35%) had an isolated prolonged PT, 28 (36%) had a prolonged APTT and 23 (29%) had prolongations of both PT and aPTT. After further workup and clinical correlation, causes of abnormal outpatient PT/aPTT profile testing were found to be related to an underlying congenital condition in 16 (21%) patients - most commonly factor VII deficiency (9%) and factor VIII deficiency (4%) - acquired conditions in 53 (68%) patients - most commonly anticoagulant therapy effects (31%) and liver disease (21%) - and of unclear etiology in 7 (9%) cases (Table 2). Specifically, the most common cause of an isolated prolonged PT in our study was found to be vitamin K deficiency (37%) whereas elevations in aPTT and both PT/aPTT were most frequently attributed to the effects of anticoagulant therapy (29% and 52% respectively). Other causes of prolongation on PT/aPTT profile testing following clinical correlation were also identified (Table 2). Discussion: While PT and aPTT are commonly ordered tests, there is little evidence regarding epidemiology of testing indications, distribution of test results, and the clinical correlation of test results. Our study demonstrates that abnormalities in hemostatic testing can be attributed to a wide range of causes including artefactual prolongation influenced by pretest variables or marked abnormalities in secondary hemostasis due to inherited and acquired conditions. Strengths of this study include the SCL algorithmic approach to testing to further elucidate coagulation cascade abnormalities to properly characterize conditions that pose severe hemostatic risk while limitations of this study reflect the experience of a single institution and possible referral bias. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Development of a Hematology-Specific Fellowship Curriculum for Advanced Practice Providers Utilizing a Needs-Based Assessment

Blood | October 14, 2019 | Volume: 132 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 2236-2236

10.1182/blood-2018-99-112715

Abstract Background: As our healthcare system faces increasing complexity, it is important for all healthcare providers to practice at the full scope of their training. However, there are limited current options for subspecialty training in hematology for advanced practice providers (APPs), a group of health care providers including both nurse practitioners and physician assistants. We are unaware of any existing postgraduate fellowship for APPs focused on education in both malignant and nonmalignant hematologic disorders. We hope that by creation of the first such fellowship, we can better prepare APP graduates with the subspecialty-specific knowledge required to become highly skilled and competent clinicians in hematology. Methods: Using surveyhero.com, we conducted a web-based needs assessment survey which was distributed to 68 APPs currently working in the hematology and blood & marrow transplant (BMT) teams at three Mayo Clinic sites (Rochester, Scottsdale, and Jacksonville). This survey included questions regarding hematology-specific education the respondents had received in their APP schools, as a way to assess participant's perceptions about the readiness to practice in hematology after completion of APP education, and to identify the learning/training needs that are most important for APPs to practice in hematology. Results: Of 68 APPs, 49 (72%; 34 NPs,15 PAs) completed the survey. 57% of respondents were new APP graduates when hired and 35% had no prior work experience in hematology/BMT. All APPs held a Master's or higher degree (doctorate 31%). Thirty-nine (80%) reported <5% of their APP school curriculum was hematology-focused. The majority (92%) felt that the level of subspecialty training they received in APP schools did not adequately prepare them with the full confidence to practice in hematology. Forty-four (90%) APPs believed subspecialty training could help them to become more competent providers for patients with hematologic disorders. Forty-seven (96%) APPs agreed that being confident and knowledgeable in their practice positively impacted their job satisfaction, and most APPs (84%) felt structured hematology training would attract them to stay within the specialty. The educational subjects that APPs identified as most important included variety of malignant and benign hematologic disorders as well as hematopathology, bone marrow transplant, palliative care, transfusion medicine, infectious disease and pharmacology related to hematology practice. The top three effective learning strategies reported by the APP respondents were active learning from direct patient care, cased based teaching, and educational experience during hospital rounds. Conclusions and Discussions: This needs-based assessment educational project revealed to us the significant gaps in subspecialty training of APP education in hematology and confirmed the necessity of this fellowship. The findings of the survey helped us to optimize the fellowship curriculum in order to meet the learning needs of future APP trainees. Development of the subspecialty fellowship program is a step forward in the future training of APPs. We believe our fellowship has the potential to serve as the postgraduate training model for other institutions nationwide. Disclosures Lacy: Celgene: Research Funding.
Evaluating Unconscious Bias: Speaker Introductions at an International Oncology Conference

Journal of Clinical Oncology | October 11, 2019 | Volume: 37 | Issue: 36 | Pages: 3538-3545

10.1200/jco.19.01608 | PMID 31603705

PURPOSE In a professional setting, the introduction of female speakers without their professional title may have an impact on the public’s perception of the female speaker. We examined how professional titles were used during speakers’ introductions at the ASCO Annual Meeting. METHODS We conducted a retrospective, observational study of video-archived speaker introductions at the 2017 and 2018 ASCO Annual Meetings. A “professional address” was defined as the professional title followed by the speaker’s full name or last name. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to identify factors associated with the form of address. RESULTS Of 2,511 videos reviewed, 781 met inclusion criteria. Female speakers were addressed less often by their professional title compared with male speakers (62% v 81%; P < .001). Males were less likely to use a professional address when introducing female speakers compared with females when introducing male speakers (53% v 80%; P < .01). When women performed speaker introductions, no gender differences in professional address were observed (75% v 82%; P = .13). Female speakers were more likely to be introduced by first name only (17% v 3%; P < .001). Male introducers were more likely to address female speakers by first name only compared with female introducers (24% v 7%; P < .01). In a multivariable regression including gender, degree, academic rank, and geographic location of the speaker’s institution, male speakers were more likely to receive a professional address compared with female speakers (odds ratio, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.71 to 3.47; P < .01). CONCLUSION When introduced by men, female speakers were less likely to receive a professional address and more likely to be introduced by first name only compared with their male peers.