Issue link: https://ahint.epubxp.com/i/574474
33 ASHI Quarterly Third Quarter 2015 S C I E N T I F I C C O M M U N I C A T I O N S As you read this, the annual ASHI meeting is upon us It is during this meeting that the Board of Directors of both ASHI and ABHI undergo changes It is a time of renewal for both organizations I will be passing on the ABHI President's gavel to Connie Lively, CHS, and will rotate into the Immediate Past-President's chair The full list of the newly constituted ABHI Board of Directors should be available now on the ABHI section of the ASHI website ( www ashi-hla org/u/abhi ) While I'm talking about ASHI, I want to once again stress that ASHI and ABHI are different organizations I've seen people cite their credentials as being a CHT (ASHI) or CHS (ASHI), instead of CHT (ABHI) or CHS (ABHI) I've never seen anyone refer to themselves as a Diplomate of ASHI, but I won't be surprised if and when it occurs This is not to cast aspersions at ASHI, far from it ASHI is the organization that gave rise to ABHI and where the idea to credential people in the field of histocompatibility arose Indeed, ASHI and ABHI are very tightly joined and many leaders and members of one are also leaders and members of the other Perhaps, the closeness of the organizations leads people to believe that they are one and the same Are there enough areas of overlap that significant efficiencies could be attained by reorganizing competency assessment between the two? I immediately think of a conversation I had in 1997 or so with the late, great Dr Norm Kramer, who at the time was the director of the Howard University Hospital HLA laboratory Dr Kramer and I bantered about a possible American College of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Almost two decades after that conversation, perhaps it is time for us to consider such an organization to assess professional competency assessment in the field of histocompatibility What that might look like? I can't say right now What I am NOT calling for is a merger of ABHI and ASHI into an ACHI As I've been reminded, there is a need for a wall between a membership organization and a credentialing organization One of the great strengths of our organizations and the field of histocompatibility is the unique partnership between doctoral and non-doctoral personnel Having something called ACHI just for doctoral level personnel is not something that would benefit our field I am mindful that ABHI certification for lab technologists can carry heavy weight with HR Departments within clinical laboratory organizations, and has positively impacted the salaries in big ways at many institutions Consequently, ABHI has hugely influenced the quality of the people who come to the lab with no experience, by offering a very viable career option for people with appropriate bachelor's degrees This is a great thing for non- director laboratory personnel In closing, I'd like to thank you for reading this and for supporting the efforts of the ABHI I believe that some of the greatest services that someone can perform for the field of histocompatibility is to educate people in and out of the field and performing services for laboratory accreditation I have been fortunate to have been involved in both, but my efforts have been miniscule in comparison to all of the efforts of everyone who, through the years, have gone before me and have come after me It really is a group effort and I'm glad to have been part of such groups If you haven't participated, please consider volunteering The information to do so is on the ASHI/ABHI website We need you C O M M I T T E E A C T I V I T I E S ABHI Update Michael D Gautreaux, PhD, D(ABHI), ABHI President One of the great strengths of our organizations and the field of histocompatibility is the unique partnership between doctoral and non-doctoral personnel. I believe that some of the greatest services that someone can perform for the field of histocompatibility is to educate people in and out of the field and performing services for laboratory accreditation.