CSTM Meet the Board – Dr. Matthew Yan
Welcome to the “Meet the CSTM Board” blog series! Each month a different position on the board will be spotlighted along with some insider information on the individual in the position. Each blog will follow a different path as each position and individual is unique. We hope you enjoy.
Author: Crystal Brunk, CSTM Director at Large (2022-2024)
His motto:
Be Kind. Anyone who has ever worked with, met, or even just heard Dr. Matthew Yan speak feels his subtle presence instantly – he brings a calm understanding to the table and says “Be Kind” without words. As the 2023-2025 Western Director Matt seeks to bring numerous perspectives to not only the CSTM board but to the transfusion medicine community in the kind way only he can.
The Wester Director Position: Take-Two
“Knowing” from the bylaws that the purpose of the Western Director is to represent the Western provinces Matt believes each board member is also responsible to represent their professional role and interests in transfusion medicine to ensure the board is a true representation of its members. Matt encourages other CSTM members to look at the board to see if they see themselves in it or not and that if representation is missing members should consider volunteering to ensure that all people have representation. In addition to being able to bring his medical and LGBTQ2+ perspectives to CSTM, Matt joined the board to stay connected. He started becoming more involved with CSTM as co-chair of the Annual Conference Scientific Committee and was inspired to stay connected with the transfusion community.
When asked about future plans Matt mentioned that he wants to use his director platform to revitalize his previous educational efforts related to serology – more to come on that during his tenure – and that for consistency he is already looking at a second term in the position.
Transfusion Medicine: Vein to Vein Experience
Hooked early, hematology was Matt’s second rotation during his Internal Medicine residency and thanks to a well-know Transfusion Medicine director/hematologist who happened to be on rotation that first week the rest is history. Matt was and still is fascinated by the interplay of transfusion medicine with all the other disciplines and how transfusion medicine staff always know what is going on throughout the hospital and can often tip off other clinicians as to what might be going on with a patient. Presently Matt holds roles with both the Canadian Blood Services and with a Health Authority in British Columbia bringing him an incredible vein to vein perspective as he is involved with donor experience to recipient reactions. Given his roles Matt is uniquely able to see how policies on a national level will impact individual sites and ensure various perspectives are considered. Matt also does work with the reference laboratory getting the opportunity to follow cases from the hospital to testing and back again. He is really our one stop reference shop in Canada!
Advice on asking Why
Matt’s transfusion medicine (and I think life advice) is to not be afraid to ask “why” but why?
- Asking why is when we find out the most fascinating parts of Transfusion Medicine and learn how interconnected so many different physiologic and disease processes are.
- Asking why encourages curiosity and leads to discovery.
- Asking why can connect us to the root of things.
- From the perspective of the person being asked why, it is an opportunity to gain experience in how to explain things and get down to the science behind something – encouraging growth and further questioning of norms.
While you think about the first “why” question you are going to ask, I will leave you with some rare trivia (and a challenge) from Matt himself: he once had a walk-on role for an Indian sitcom while he travelled around Mumbai and dares someone to find it online and post the link in the comments section below.