An application packet includes the admission application, college transcripts, mentor agreement and three reference forms.  Completed application packets are due no later than Dec 15 of the year prior to program start.

The one-year program begins in May. The first week of the program is spent onsite at LifeShare Blood Center in Shreveport, Louisiana for orientation.

Tuition for the program is $6000, payable in 2 installments. The first half is due the month before orientation (April 1), the second half is due at mid-term (November 1).

A mentor is selected by the student to be a local resource.  Ideally a mentor will be an SBB or a Pathologist that is board certified in Transfusion Medicine.  The mentor is available to counsel and guide the student as needed, including assistance with understanding challenging concepts and is available for routine communication with the Education Coordinator of the SBB program.

The program is comprised of 6 didactic courses.  Each course includes homework, quizzes and exams.  There are also a mid-term and final written exam as well as a mid-term and final virtual practical.

 The minimum acceptable grade average for courses is 80%.  The minimum passing score for the virtual practicals is 85% and the minimum passing score for the final written exam is 80%.

 In addition, there are clinical rotations, professional development tasks, a research paper and an education project.

 All requirements must be successfully completed to be eligible for graduation.

At LifeShare we understand that “life happens.”  If a student decides to withdraw from the program, this can be managed in one of two ways.

• Withdrawal from the program – the student will lose access to the course material, no refunds provided.
• Leave of absence – the student temporarily withdraws from the program and intends to return the following year.

Clinical rotations must be scheduled by each student at appropriately selected facilities. These may include blood centers, hospital blood banks and transfusion services, or other esoteric laboratories.

A student may apply for the ASCP SBB exam near the end of the program year, and will be eligible to take the exam after passing the LBC final exam and satisfactorily completing all course requirements.

Yes. Successfully completing the LifeShare SBB program with a course average of at least 80% and passing the ASCP SBB exam means a student is eligible to apply to the UTMB Master’s in Transfusion Medicine (MSTM) program, which is also completed by distance learning.  Visit www.utmb.edu for additional acceptance criteria.

The program is intended to be both challenging and rewarding. A successful student must be self- motivated and ready to devote a significant amount of time to studying and completing all aspects of the educational courses. The orientation week is designed to provide instruction in how to complete the program as well as introduce participants to their classmates and LifeShare support personnel. Joining a distance education program does not mean you are “in it alone”. LifeShare is committed to fostering a successful and supportive educational environment.