title: Hematopathology and Coagulation: Self-Assessment and Board Review
author: Amer Wahed
description: A comprehensive series of multiple-choice questions and answers to help readers strengthen their knowledge of hematopathology and coagulation to prepare for their American Board of Pathology exams. All areas of the curriculum, from red blood cell count and coagulation disorders to hematopoietic neoplasms, are covered, and explanations are given to aid learning.
zlib_text: 	
   
  
  	
  About	this	guide		
  Hemostasis	is	one	of	those	parts	of	pathology	that	lots	of	students	find	overwhelming.	There’s	so	
  much	going	on	in	the	coagulation	cascade	alone	-	so	many	Roman	numerals,	so	many	arrows	to	
  different	molecules,	so	many	similar-sounding	abbreviations...it’s	enough	to	make	a	person	throw	
  the	book	at	the	wall	and	go	take	a	nap.	As	one	student	put	it:	“I	don't	know	anyone	who	doesn't	
  hate	coag.”	
  	
  This	guide	is	written	for	those	of	us	who	have	had	a	difficult	time	understanding	coag.	It	breaks	
  hemostasis	down	into	reasonably-sized	sections,	with	easy-to-understand	explanations,	silly	but	
  helpful	mnemonics,	and	answers	to	commonly-asked	questions.	By	the	end	of	this	guide,	you'll	
  understand	how	clots	are	formed	and	what	keeps	us	from	clotting	too	much.	You'll	also	know	how	
  to	use	coag	and	platelet	laboratory	tests	in	practice,	and	you'll	have	a	good	understanding	of	most	
  bleeding	and	thrombotic	disorders.			
  	
  Extra	help	
  If	you	are	stuck,	or	frustrated,	o