ABIM Hematology case studies
ABIM Hematology · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The ABIM Hematology Certification Examination is the subspecialty board exam through which internists already certified in internal medicine earn added certification in hematology. It is intended for physicians who have completed an accredited hematology fellowship and can document clinical competence across the six ACGME/ABMS competencies, procedural skills, and professional behavior. The ABIM Hematology case studies are 5 cases and about 2,702 words.
1Immune Thrombocytopenia Refractory to First-Line Therapy: Choosing the Next Step
A 34-year-old woman is diagnosed with primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) after an isolated platelet count of 18 × 10^9/L on two occasions; she has petechiae on her shins but no mucosal bleeding, no splenomegaly, and no other cytopenias. HIV, hepatitis B and C serology, and H.
478 words, about 2 min2Newly Diagnosed AML in an Older Adult: Fitness, Goals, and Treatment Intensity
A 74-year-old man presents with 3 weeks of fatigue and gum bleeding. CBC: WBC 42 × 10^9/L with 55% blasts, hemoglobin 7.8 g/dL, platelets 14 × 10^9/L.
576 words, about 3 min3Sickle Cell Disease and a Vaso-Occlusive Crisis: Opioid Dosing, Stigma, and Discharge Safety
A 28-year-old woman with HbSS disease presents to the emergency department with 2 days of severe back and leg pain, consistent with her usual vaso-occlusive crises. She is afebrile, oxygen saturation 96% on room air, and has no chest pain or shortness of breath.
572 words, about 3 min4Anticoagulation in Cancer-Associated Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia
A 61-year-old woman with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma on gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel develops a right lower extremity deep vein thrombosis. Her platelet count is 58 × 10^9/L (baseline 90 × 10^9/L before chemotherapy), hemoglobin 9.2 g/dL, and creatinine clearance 55 mL/min.
507 words, about 3 min5A Resident's Error in a Transfusion Order: Disclosure, Reporting, and Just Culture
A second-year internal medicine resident orders 2 units of packed red blood cells for a patient with a hemoglobin of 7.1 g/dL. The patient has no history of transfusion reactions.
569 words, about 3 min