General Internal Medicine Fellowship

Applicants must be a graduate of a U.S. medical school with a degree of M.D. or equivalent. The fellowship candidate must have successfully completed an internship and residency in internal medicine and must also be eligible for a Texas medical license and/or institutional trainee permit. Candidates must be interested in the medical care of cancer patients and survivors, comorbidities and symptom management in cancer patients, management of oncologic emergencies, health outcomes research and quality improvement.

Marketing for this position begins in October of each year for the following year’s candidate. Each candidate is required to send the following:

• a copy of their resume
• a brief synopsis of their career goals
• a copy of USMLE scores
• VISA status 
• three (3) professional letters of recommendation

This information is reviewed by the program director and candidates are contacted for Skype or telephone interviews.

The General Internal Medicine Fellowship Program at MD Anderson offers an academic clinical research track. The goal of this program is to train physicians who will not only become independent clinician-investigators with expertise in complex patient-oriented research related to the health outcomes of cancer patients, including the following content areas; survivorship, co-morbidity management, health disparities, patient education, quality of care, or quality improvement but also to have the necessary skills to provide the highest standard of care to cancer patients and survivors.

Academic Clinical Research Track: The fellow will be involved in intensive research training with one-on-one mentoring. At the completion of the program the fellow will be expected to master the necessary skills to conduct clinical research and have submitted his work for presentation at national meetings and peer-reviewed journals.

The clinical assignment will coordinate with the fellow’s research interest. For example, a research track in co-morbidity management would result in clinical activities in the Outpatient Clinics and Outpatient Specialty Clinics (i.e. Cancer-Related Fatigue Clinic, Suspicion of Cancer Clinic, Lasting Effects of Cancer Treatment Clinic, Anticoagulation Clinic, Geriatrics, and Continuity Clinic). Clinical activities will consist of three months equivalent out of each year.

The fellow will also participate and present at the General Internal Medicine department’s Journal Club and Research Conferences and is expected to attend Institutional Grand Rounds, the Internal Medicine division’s bimonthly CME lectures and other relevant institutional lectures or courses.

Clinical Practice (25%)
It is expected that the GIM fellow in this track will dedicate approximately 25% clinical effort in developing clinical skills aimed at management of oncology patients. These clinical skills include management of the medical care of cancer survivors, management of comorbidities and symptoms related to the malignancy or treatment of the malignancy and management of oncologic emergencies. The fellow will perform all clinical activities under the supervision of faculty in the General Internal Medicine department.

Clinical Research (75%)
GIM fellows are expected to spend the majority of their non-class time devoted to developing clinical research skills that will enhance their academic careers. GIM fellows are expected to initiate and complete research projects emanating from hypothesis generated clinical issues. These clinical research efforts should develop into publications and presentations in professional journals and conferences. They will be assigned a faculty mentor that will meet with each fellow on a regular basis and advise and guide them regarding their research projects. Fellows without formal training or experience in clinical research will be required to complete courses enhancing their ability to successfully develop clinical research initiatives. Appropriate programs are currently being offered by MD Anderson. Programs will be tailored individually according to the fellow’s interests and prior experience.

Each fellow will successfully complete abstracts, manuscripts and/or grants related to research projects and interests and have involvement in teaching activities (lectures to other internal or external groups, preceptor in medical student course, etc.). Each fellow will develop an understanding of basic leadership skills and responsibilities in preparation of their future academic career. In addition, each fellow will also gain advanced clinical skills with weekly clinical responsibilities that directly relate to their research project and receive direct mentoring by their clinical faculty mentor. Patient experience is centered around the management of oncology patients (issues relating to cancer survivor issues and care, comorbidities, symptoms related to malignancy and treatment of malignancy, end of life medical decision-making, ethical issues).

The program director will complete formal written evaluations twice a year. Co-faculty will also contribute comments and feedback in the formal evaluation. The program director will formally meet with the fellow to discuss projects and progress during the fellowship. Appropriate institutional forms will be completed. The clinical fellow will present his/her research to faculty with research interests approximately every four months. The research will be critiqued and formally evaluated.

The clinical fellow will formally complete a written evaluation of the program and its faculty at the end of the fellowship program.

Institutional certification is available upon completion of the program.