Meet Our Volunteers

Volunteer Spotlight and Member Highlights

Exciting news! AABB’s Professional Engagement Program will be showcasing all of the great work our members do for AABB and the world at large.

Our PEP Volunteer Spotlight will consist of a short Q&A with one of our members published each month in AABB News. Our members play an integral role here at AABB and we want to share their accomplishments.

Member Highlights can be any volunteer accomplishment directly involved with AABB and will change as new highlights are added. These highlights may range from publications, committee work, webinars and everything in between!

We are currently soliciting names of individuals to showcase for the coming year in either our Volunteer Spotlight or a Member Highlight capacities. If you or a fellow AABB member are interested, please email us at PEP@aabb.org.

AABB Volunteer Spotlight on Ryan Metcalf, MD

Section Chief, Transfusion Medicine; Associate Professor, Pathology, University of Utah

How long have you been an AABB member?

I have been a proud AABB member since 2014.

In which AABB volunteer activities are you currently active? In which have you participated?

I currently serve as Chair of the Clinical Transfusion Medicine Committee (CTMC) and as a liaison to the Transfusion Transmitted Diseases (TTD) Committee. Through CTMC, I had the opportunity to serve as chair for the International Platelet Transfusion Guidelines Work Group and as a member of the International Guidelines for RBC Transfusion in Acute Myocardial Infarction Work Group. Prior to becoming CTMC chair, I was a member of the committee and participated as a member on the International RBC Transfusion Guidelines Working Group as well as the COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Guidelines Working Group. I was also previously a member of the AABB Patient Blood Management (PBM) Standards Committee.

What motivates you to volunteer?

I feel a sense of purpose and connection to our field of transfusion medicine because we are fortunate to work in a discipline that substantially impacts patient lives. For me, there has been no better way to connect with and learn from the wonderful colleagues in our community than volunteering with AABB.

How has your volunteer work impacted your professional work?

I have made so many friends through volunteering with AABB and I get to collaborate with them on very interesting projects and learn from them.

What have you learned from volunteering with AABB? And what advice would you give to someone interested in volunteering?

There are many brilliant individuals who are members of AABB, but the power of what we do comes from the community and collaboration. We can accomplish so much as a team working together, staying endlessly curious, and learning from each other. To those considering volunteering, my advice would be to go for it, do your best, bring a growth mindset, and remember to have fun!

What is your favorite movie?

The Big Lebowski and a French film called Tell No One.