Hematologist Requirements

Hematologists are doctors who study blood and all its components, such as white blood cells, plasma and hemoglobin. They also study the diseases of the blood and the process through which blood cells are created. Their work has helped improved the treatment of patients with diseases like sickle-cell anemia, hemophilia and leukemia.
Becoming a Doctor
Before you become a hematologist, you need to become a trained physician. This means you'll need to graduate from medical school and complete a residency in internal medicine. The entire process from starting college to medical school and through a residency will take at least 10 years. However, once you finish, you will be a certified internist.
Hematology Residency
Once you are a licensed doctor, you can begin advanced study in hematology. This will involve taking another residency where you will work in the field of hematology. The hands-on portion of the residency will give you experience working with patients with diseases like hemophilia and blood cancer. You will also have course work to learn about additional topics that involve blood like hematologic neoplasm, hemostasis and thrombosis. You can also choose to specialize in either internal medicine or pediatric hematology.
Certification
Hematologists are certified through the American Board of Internal Medicine. You can take the certification examination once you complete your hematology residency. To maintain the certification, you will need to complete continuing-education courses over the term of your license, which is 10 years. If you do not keep up to date on the newest technologies and best practices in the field, you will lose your certification and will no longer be a hematologist, though you will still be a doctor.
Other Skills
Though hematologists spend a lot of time in the lab studying blood, they will also see patients. Therefore they must have a good bedside manner. They must also have an analytical mind so they can study the problems they find in the blood. Depending on the treatment plan, hematologists may also be required to perform surgery on patients with blood problems.