Update on Specialist in Blood Banking (SBB) Programs in the United States
The September 2023 issue of the journal Immunohematology published an update on programs for achieving certification by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) as a Specialist in Blood Banking (SBB) in the United States. This update was generated from a 2023 survey questionnaire sent to the current 12 Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)-accredited SBB programs with the goal of compiling program information and SBB exam statistics to assess changes in the programs and trends in SBB exam takers since 2009. The article provided information on the various routes for achieving SBB certification as well as qualitative and quantitative aspects of these 12 SBB programs. Following are the highlights of the article.
Routes for Achieving SBB Certification
SBB certification requires passing the ASCP SBB examination. Currently there are seven routes for qualifying for this examination, based on academic degree, current ASCP certification or SBB program completion, and years and type of laboratory or education experience. Only one route requires program completion.
Trends Over Time (2023 vs 2009)
Eligibility routes for qualifying for the SBB certification examination have increased from four to seven over this time period. The number of CAAHEP-accredited SBB programs has declined from 16 to 12, with six programs becoming inactive while two new programs achieved accreditation. Instructional modalities have changed with a trend toward remote and even hybrid learning as well as enrollment for working professional, therefore, offering more opportunities for medical laboratory scientists to pursue SBB certification. Programs may charge tuition or be cost-free to current full-time employees or to students who commit to working at the program facility for a specified period. SBB programs partnering with other facilities have been noted, increasing the exposure of the student to all aspects of transfusion medicine.
Current SBB Programs
Complete information is provided for each of the 12 current CAAHEP-accredited SBB programs including a high-level summary of the key aspects of each program: location, certificate/degree achieved, instructional modality, schedule, program accreditation, number of faculty, program length, start month, application period, class size, tuition, stipend, and ASCP SBB exam pass rate. In addition, the article provides more detailed information on each program that includes admission and curriculum requirements; clinical affiliates; noteworthy changes since COVID-19; names of the Medical Director, Program Director, and Educational Coordinator; and the Web site. First-time SBB examination pass rates for individuals who took the program route are 62-70 percent, but comparable data for the other routes are not available.
Looking to the future of SBB programs, as an extension of the trend toward remote learning, the use of virtual reality to augment or replace face-to-face training should be considered. Additionally, program planning requires more data on SBBs–including their wages and how many are in, entering, and leaving the workforce.
In conclusion, staffing shortages of healthcare workers, especially medical laboratory scientists, are realized in the United States. This article provides awareness of the need for such individuals, in particular SBBs, and provides information to aid those medical laboratory scientists considering SBB certification in determining the most practical route and program type to achieve this goal.
Editor’s note: Learn more about the Red Cross SBB program by going to https://www.redcrossblood.org/biomedical-services/specialist-in-blood-bank-technology-and-transfusion-medicine-pro.html. Interested individuals may apply on the website between April 1, 2024, and May 31, 2024, for the 2024-2025 academic year, beginning in September of 2025.
Author
Written By
Cynthia Flickinger MLS(ASCP)SBB
Cynthia Flickinger received a BS degree in Health Sciences at the University of Delaware; 10 years later she obtained ASCP certification as an SBB. Ms. Flickinger worked for more than 20 years as a blood bank technologist in local hospitals and facilities, including the Blood Bank of Delmarva, ChristianaCare Christiana Hospital, and Nemours Children’s Hospital. From 1993 to 2001, Ms. Flickinger also instructed the Medical Technology students in blood banking at the University of Delaware. In 2001, Ms. Flickinger joined the Penn-Jersey Region of the American Red Cross in the National Reference Laboratory for Blood Group Serology (NRLBGS). In this role, Ms. Flickinger developed a continuing education curriculum for training laboratory staff in blood banking, which was provided to the Red Cross Immunohematology Reference Laboratories (IRLs) as well as marketed to non-Red Cross facilities. Ms. Flickinger undertook the roles of Managing Editor of the Red Cross journal, Immunohematology, and Manager of the American Rare Donor Program (ARDP) in 2004; and was promoted to Supervisor of the National Reference Laboratory for Specialized Testing (NRLST) in 2006. Ms. Flickinger received the Tiffany Award for her managing of the ARDP in 2006 and the Michigan Association of Blood Banks Kay Beattie Lectureship Award in 2012. In 2012, Ms. Flickinger was promoted to Director of the Penn-Jersey IRL. Between 2001 and 2015, Ms. Flickinger presented at more than 20 seminars, meetings, conferences, and continuing educational programs and authored or co-authored more than 30 publications. Ms. Flickinger resigned her position as IRL Director in 2015 to assume a position as a Clinical Study Monitor at Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics in Newark, DE. Ms. Flickinger retained her position as Managing Editor of Immunohematology, which she holds today.
