Ifeanyichukwu Ifechidere: Coagulation Fundamentals for Result Interpretation in Clinical Practice
Ifeanyichukwu Ifechidere, Specialist Biomedical Scientist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“From lost in the MDT… to adding real clinical value
I still remember my first MDT meeting as a newly qualified biomedical scientist.
I walked in thinking: ‘I know my coagulation. I’ll be fine’
Within minutes…Ahh, I was completely lost.
The room was filled with consultants, haematologists, nurses, pharmacists – speaking a language that sounded familiar, but somehow not the same as what I’d learned in the lab.
They weren’t talking about ‘results.’
- ‘Recurrent VTE despite anticoagulation…’
- ‘Possible underlying malignancy…’
- ‘Inflammatory markers trending up…’
And I sat there thinking:
My God! Where does my APTT result fit into all of this?
But here is my turning point
What changed wasn’t my technical knowledge.
It was my perspective.
I started asking different questions:
Why was this test requested?
What decision is this result influencing?
What could make this result misleading?
Suddenly, coagulation wasn’t just numbers – it was context.
From reporting results to interpreting meaning
Instead of just releasing results, I began to notice patterns:
- A short APTT in a patient with inflammation – could this reflect elevated factor VIII?
- Low fibrinogen by Clauss – interference or true deficiency?
- Unexpected results – do they fit the clinical picture?
And slowly… I started speaking up.
The first time I contributed
I still remember the moment, that quite confident.
A case was being discussed with ‘low fibrinogen.’
Something didn’t add up.
I hesitated… then said:
‘Could this be assay interference rather than true hypofibrinogenaemia?’
The room paused.
Then someone nodded.
Then the discussion shifted.
And just like that – I wasn’t invisible anymore.
Where I am now
Today, I don’t just attend MDTs – I contribute.
I flag potential interferences
I provide interpretive comments
I help connect lab data to clinical decisions
Because biomedical scientists aren’t just behind – the – scenes.
We are part of the clinical decision – making process.
I have been there
Feeling lost at the start doesn’t mean you don’t belong.
It means you’re learning to think clinically, not just analytically.
And that’s where real impact begins.
Want more insights to help you bridge the gap between lab science and clinical practice?
Subscribe for updates and pick up your well built course on coagulation fundamental in result interpretation.”
Other posts featuring Ifeanyichukwu Ifechidere on Hemostasis Today.
-
Apr 30, 2026, 16:19David McIntosh: Plasma Medicines for All with United Plasma Action
-
Apr 30, 2026, 15:56Benjamin Spurgeon: What’s next for Platelet Function Testing?
-
Apr 30, 2026, 15:38Ahvie Herskowitz: Is It Iron or ‘Oxidized Rust’? – A New Predictor of Aging.
-
Apr 30, 2026, 15:01Neil Morgan: New Collaborative Research Review on Large‐Scale Genetic Analysis in the Bleeding Disorders Community
-
Apr 30, 2026, 14:52Neema Ngugi: Understanding the D-Dimer Test – A Key Tool in Detecting Blood Clots
-
Apr 30, 2026, 14:45Steven Brown: Contributing to AMSSM CRN Orthobiologics Research on PRP in Muscle Injury and Tendinopathy
-
Apr 30, 2026, 14:33Abdul Mannan: The Clinical Pattern That Should Make You Think of VEXAS
-
Apr 30, 2026, 14:28Jennifer Le Mac: How the Immune System Shapes Venous Thrombosis
-
Apr 30, 2026, 14:22Samantha Xavier: Successfully Defended My PhD Thesis on P-Selectin as a Biomarker for Venous Thromboembolism