National Doctors' Day is March 30th. This annual celebration serves as an opportunity to recognize and express our gratitude for our physicians. Whether it’s through their tireless clinical work, by teaching or bringing awareness to health issues, or in their innovative medical research, these professionals are always caring for the well-being of their patients and our communities.

To celebrate National Doctors' Day, we are recognizing our very own OneBlood Medical Director, Dr. Richard Gammon. We caught up with Dr. Gammon and asked him about his career and his role with OneBlood.

Dr. Richard Gammon, OneBlood Medical Director

What inspired you to choose a career in medicine?

I had a good mentor in biology in college that got me interested. This was enhanced by a job working for the pathology department in college.

How did you get involved in the blood industry?

I had another mentor who was very enthusiastic about blood banking when I was in residency.

What is a typical day like as the OneBlood Medical Director?

No day is quite the same. The service work includes answering questions from donor service personnel to ensure it is safe for an individual to donate blood. It may also consist of teaching resident physicians about blood banking. Finally, it may involve working with a professional society such as the International Society for Blood Transfusion (ISBT), where I am on a call with blood bankers worldwide.

Below is a picture from February 2024, when I was on a panel discussion during the Patient Blood Management conference sponsored by the Department of Transfusion Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, India.

Dr. Gammon on a panel discussion at AIIMS in New Delhi, India

What do you like the most about your work?

The donors always come first. After this, it would include teaching and networking with peers through professional societies.

What do you wish people knew regarding the importance of donating blood?

Even with all of today’s technology, blood cannot be manufactured. We need donors to start early in life and donate often.

Thank you, Dr. Gammon, for always caring for the safety of our donors and helping to keep a ready blood supply for patients in need. We are grateful for your vital work in bringing awareness to the importance of blood donations, locally and even worldwide!

Celebrate National Doctors' Day and honor a doctor in your life by giving blood for patients in need! Find a OneBlood Donor Center or Big Red Bus near you.