Challenges? Yes, But Also a Vision

Having just returned from the 55th annual meeting, the excitement of scientific advances and networking with colleagues has not yet subsided as I look forward to 2014 and the honor of serving as president of ASH.

In this first column of the New Year, I wish to share with you the vision that I, and other leaders of ASH, have for tackling the challenges we, as hematology clinicians and researchers, continue to face. I touched on these issues during an interview with ASH News TV that took place in conjunction with the annual meeting. We are committed to addressing the needs of our members and patients in the critical areas of research, education and teaching, and clinical practice.

At the top of our agenda is research funding. Research is the foundation of our field, and I and the rest of the ASH Executive Committee are painfully aware of the hardships that confront us as a consequence of inadequate funding. I know you share my concern not only that we are at risk for losing the next generation of scientists but also that the careers of our established scientists who have made and continue to make numerous contributions to the advancement of hematology are in jeopardy. ASH will continue to advocate for research funding with our legislators, and we urge you to learn more by visiting the ASH Advocacy Center. At the same time, we will invest ASH resources in supporting the research pipeline. ASH has a number of grants, awards, and scholarships for the career continuum from medical students to junior faculty. However, equally important to providing funding for new investigators is the retention of established researchers. A new mechanism of support was introduced this past year in the form of the ASH Bridge Grant Program for independent scientists. Established to help our talented scientists sustain their vital research programs, the bridge grants are now entering the third of six planned award cycles. We have awarded grants to assistant and associate – as well as full – professors confirming how critical the need is for research support, even for our most senior scientists.

In addition to research, other challenges fill our busy agenda for 2014. As the fellowship program director at the University of Minnesota, I also reach out to undergraduates, medical students, and residents to introduce them to the exciting field of hematology. It is imperative that we not only recruit and train hematologists, but we must also provide opportunities for academic advancement and support of our hematology educators. I am also a clinician who cares for patients on a daily basis. Clinicians face their own set of challenges with ever-increasing regulatory requirements, demanding that we not only provide high-quality care, but do so in a timely and cost-efficient manner. With these new and ever-increasing demands on our time, ASH is committed to providing guidelines and tools to aid busy clinicians. Furthermore, hematology is a field with few procedures that are suitably compensated; therefore, we must also advocate for appropriate reimbursement for our intellectual contributions to medical decision making and best practices.

I recall attending my first ASH meeting as a fellow in 1985, sitting in a vast auditorium and thinking about how I hoped to present my own research someday. Eventually I did, with my trembling hand causing the laser beam to ramble all over the slide! But I also recall the excitement and the feeling of being part of something much larger. As president of ASH, I hope I can impart to you that same excitement of being part both of the field of hematology and the Society that I have enjoyed and benefited from so much. Yes, we have challenges, but with valued colleagues with a common vision, we will find a way forward. Please join me in our efforts and share in our successes.