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rachelp

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Hi, I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right spot so I'm sorry if it's wrong!! I am a med tech working in a large hospital, after graduation I worked for a year as a generalist and for the past 6 months I have been working in blood bank only. I have been thinking a lot about getting my SBB certification. I was just looking for how this has helped anyone advance in their careers/ what kind of jobs you all have! Or any information and inspiration y'all might have for a newbie like me! 

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I certainly wouldn't be doing what I'm doing today if I hadn't gotten my SBB (and followed it with an MS in Transfusion Medicine). Although with almost 7 years doing QA support for blood collection/component production, maybe that's not a good thing!

My situation is probably unusual though, as I was never an MLS. After my BS in biology I was taught phlebotomy in a plasma center, after almost a year there I moved to a small blood collector where I got to do everything (donor screening, phlebotomy, component production, ABO and antibody screens, infectious disease testing and product distribution), which led to attending an SBB program, which eventually landed me in QA (now at my second employer in a QA role, nice thing about this one is I also have some software responsibility for user changes/testing which adds some variety to the job).

I have always heard/been told that getting an SBB helps get you into management roles or a positing in a reference lab.

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6 hours ago, Eman said:

I certainly wouldn't be doing what I'm doing today if I hadn't gotten my SBB (and followed it with an MS in Transfusion Medicine). Although with almost 7 years doing QA support for blood collection/component production, maybe that's not a good thing! 

Hi Eman

Sounds like you took the career path that I eventually would like to take. 

I would like to get my SBB and then get a Masters in Transfusion Medicine. And also work QA!

Would you be willing to share your experience with the SBB and MS programs? What programs did you attended? 

Right now I am looking at schools and they all seem to cover the same topics for SBB. So I have been searching online for former student experience and anecdotes hoping that will help decide where to attend. 

If you are not comfortable posting this info on a public forum you can PM the info. 

 

Thanks 

 

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Hi LabCat, I went through the SBB program at BloodCenter of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Its a super solid program, lots of lab time, Friday lectures and subject-focused exams before a huge final exam, all of which prepares you to take the ASCP test. The program instructors and physicians at BCW were super great, supportive, enthusiastic (I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have a citation in the Circular of Information and AABB Tech Manual without that support!).

I followed the SBB program there with the MSTM program at Marquette University, which is basically right next door to BCW. Marquette tuition is a bit pricy but they counted my SBB certification for some number of credits that was essentially half the MS, and with employer sponsored tuition reimbursement it wasn't too costly. Marquette allows you to focus on business, education or sciences classes for your MSTM. I started in education but discovered the classes were very k-12 oriented, not as much for adult learners as I had wanted, and after finding out in a biochem class how much I'd forgotten I finished my MS with a focus on business (things like accounting, budgeting and financial analysis, conflict resolution and what turned out to be my favorite course, organizational behavior).

SBB program wise they should all pretty much offer the same topics, AABB actually accredits SBB programs so there are certainly similarities between programs. It'd be important to see what kind of bench time they'll offer (there are apparently online programs that you find your own lab time for). I found doing an in-person super helpful, I actually ended up working at BCW not long after starting the program.

Hope that's at least a little helpful :)

E

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Thats great to hear! I did my undergrad in clinical lab science at marquette and still work in milwaukee. I have been looking a lot into the program at BCSW and the masters degree at MU. It's good to hear that you had a good experience and also good to know about the education subspecialty 

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Hi Eman

Yes, this is super helpful information! 

You are the golden unicorn with chocolate filling that I have been looking for! 

My number one SBB program is BCW followed with Marquette University for the Masters program. I have been looking at in person programs as opposed to online beause I want the hands on experience. I don't live in Wisconsin but have the ability to move. So this is the type of info I've been looking for since pursuing this SBB/Masters will be time and money intensive. 

A few follow up questions if you don't mind.

*How was the application process for the SBB program? I see they only accept 5 students per year, was it competitive to get in?

*Is the program self-paced or do the assignments have due dates?

*How long did it take you to complete the program? 

*Were you able to work full-time during the program? 

*For the Masters program did you pursue the non-thesis or thesis option? Which one is best for this degree? 

Thank you for your time. 

 

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On ‎10‎/‎24‎/‎2016 at 8:45 AM, LabCat said:

Hey labcat, I'll insert answers below as best as I recall them:

 

A few follow up questions if you don't mind.

*How was the application process for the SBB program? I see they only accept 5 students per year, was it competitive to get in?

Fairly competitive, I was pretty surprised to get accepted.  There was some limited paperwork for the submission, and then my interview day was very wonky because either FDA or AABB showed up for an assessment that same day, which made a lot of people unavailable. So I did some interviews, attended a lecture or audioconference and took a tour of the labs. A week or two later I received a surprise phone call from another medical director there and continued interviewing.

The program has changed, expanded and become more formal since I started a decade ago, so my experience is probably not super applicable (especially given how the interviews went because of that inspection)

 

*Is the program self-paced or do the assignments have due dates?

It was self-paced when I was in the program, but due to people struggling to meet the ~2 year graduation target milestone goals now exist (i.e. complete x by y date; have X number of rotations completed by Z date).  [I actually graduated prior to a person who started the year before, and my classmate (only two of us started in 2004) graduated at least a year later]. So it's somewhat self-paced but with some deadlines.

 

*How long did it take you to complete the program? 

I started 9/2004 and passed the ASCP exam in 4/2007 (so I didn't hit the two year goal either). I probably would've finished a bit earlier but started classes at Marquette in 2006.

*Were you able to work full-time during the program? 

I tried working part time in Wausau and school part time in Milwaukee at first but that didn't work for my employer in Wausau or give me enough time in Milwaukee. So I scored a part time job at BCW, it was second shift and I probably worked 30 hours a week. You can work full time while in the program but your employer will need to work with you about scheduling, for the first year there are lectures for 3 hours every Friday morning, and you'll also need to spend time in the labs, mostly during first shift.  [Living 3 blocks from BCW and working there I actually repeated most of the Friday lectures the 2nd year, really made more sense that 2nd time around!]

*For the Masters program did you pursue the non-thesis or thesis option? Which one is best for this degree? 

Dang, since I didn't write a thesis I must have done the non-thesis option, I don't think the 'capstone essay' I wrote reached the level of a thesis.  When I interviewed to move from research to QA at BCW no one asked about my capstone essay or MSTM, outside of acknowledging I earned the MS, and I don't think there were any questions about it when getting hired here either.

Thank you for your time. 

No problem, good luck!

 

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I would recommend that you get your SBB!  I have 5 SBBs in my lab currently including me.  My QA coordinator, supervisor, and team lead are all SBBs.  A couple of them went to the Gulf Coast SBB program, but I heard at AABB this year that the program director retired and I'm not sure they have it anymore.  Two people did self-study, but they had both worked in the local blood center in the reference lab and in regulatory affairs.  One went through the program in Arizona.

I think the SBB opens a lot of possibilities that might not otherwise be an option, from quality to management to industry!  Good luck in your quest!

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Just passed my SBB last year.  I am enrolled in the Rush University SBB/Master's in Clinical Lab Management program (all online).  As soon as I just enrolled in the program I started getting job offers.  And before I finished the Master's part, my current job promoted me.

So yes, the SBB will get you places.  You will always have a job if you are willing to be challenged.

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On Saturday, November 05, 2016 at 7:13 PM, tbostock said:

 As soon as I just enrolled in the program I started getting job offers.  And before I finished the Master's part, my current job promoted me.

Hi tbostock

I am curiously to know what type of job offers you received? I mostly see SBB's as blood bank supervisor and would like to know what other opportunities are out there for SBB's.

Thanks

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2 hours ago, LabCat said:

Hi tbostock

I am curiously to know what type of job offers you received? I mostly see SBB's as blood bank supervisor and would like to know what other opportunities are out there for SBB's.

Thanks

Outside of the lab I'd say QA/Regulatory and education/training seem to be prime areas for SBBs.

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I work for the Red Cross and we have SBBs in nearly every aspect of the biomedical side of the company.  Obviously in the IRL, both on the bench, in management, and in Operation Support.  They also work In Quality, Compliance, Manufacturing, Customer support, Process Improvement, Project Management and Education.  When I first started here after more than a few years in a hospital laboratory, I was surprised at the varied jobs laboratory scientists held in the Red Cross.

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