Hematology/Oncology Fellowship

We offer a fully integrated, three-year hematology and medical oncology program. The first 18 months of training incorporates 12 months of clinical rotation, which includes both solid tumors and hematologic malignancies with 6 months of benign hematology. The ACGME core competencies and milestones are achieved through a required set of rotations, a didactic curriculum and elective rotations designed to broaden the base of knowledge.

Our fellows, faculty, and program are continuously evaluated to ensure success in achieving these competencies, goals and objectives. For the remaining 18 months, the fellow is encouraged to pursue clinical research pursuits and to develop skills and projects to compete for national presentations and awards. Our program offers flexibility during this time period in which fellows can pursue a wide range of interests. Some of the opportunities include spending time in a basic science laboratory, developing skills in clinical and translational research, pursuing a master’s degree, training in quality improvement methods, developing teaching skills required to be a clinician educator, to name a few.

The general structure of the rotations is listed below, with each rotation lasting approximately one month. While most fellows double-board in hematology and medical oncology, some single board in medical oncology.

Medical Oncology Rotations:

• Breast Medical Oncology
• GI Medical Oncology
• GU Medical Oncology
• Melanoma Medical Oncology
• Neuro Oncology/Gynecological Oncology
• Palliative Care 
• Sarcoma Medical Oncology
• Thoracic Head and Neck Medical Oncology
• LBJ General Hospital Oncology Consultation Services

Malignant Hematology Rotations: 

• Leukemia
• Lymphoma
• Stem Cell Transplant

Benign Hematology Rotations:

• MD Anderson Hematology Consults
• LBJ General Hospital Hematology Consults
• Memorial Hermann Hematology Consults
• Houston Methodist Hematology Consults
  
• Ben Taub Hematology Consults
  
• Benign Hematology Outpatient Clinics
  

Fellows have formal education through clinical teaching, lectures, and conferences. Some educational highlights of the hematology and oncology fellowship program include:

Academic Tuesday: This is a half-day dedicated to fellow education. This time is protected from other clinical duties. Fellows attend the Division of Cancer Medicine Grand Rounds, then have 2-3 lectures taught by faulty on a rotating list of topics in hematology and oncology, covering a core curriculum while also highlighting the most recent work in each field. Fellows also give one lecture per year, either on an interesting case, a journal club, or a research presentation.

LBJ Clinic: While participating in the LBJ General Hospital Oncology clinic, fellows participate in a morning report designed to discuss all new patients and provide learning points. Faculty also lead a curriculum designed to build the fellows’ fund of knowledge. Fellows learn from faculty in the clinical setting as well. Finally, fellows participate in multidisciplinary tumor boards with several specialties with the goal of coming to a consensus for a patient’s care. Fellows are expected to be the one primarily responsible for a patient’s care at LBJ, offering a great deal of autonomy and a unique and valuable learning experience.

MD Anderson Board Review Course: MD Anderson hosts a week-long board review course each fall. Fellows are given course materials and are welcome to attend lectures, taught by leading faculty across the country.
 

Intro to Research Series: First-year fellows participate in an Introduction to Research Series, in which leaders at MD Anderson highlight research opportunities that fellows can pursue throughout their time in the program. Fellows hear from each department within the Division of Cancer Medicine about topics that include:
 

• Support for Grant Writing
• Basic Science
• Clinical Investigation
• Translational Research
• Quality Improvement
• Value Based Health Care
  
  

In addition to the common curricular elements required of all fellows, the program has developed educational tracks to hone the clinical and research outcomes of each fellow.  All fellows must declare a training track at the beginning of their second year. 

Master Clinician Track

1. A minimum of six (6) half-day clinics per week for sixteen (16) of the twenty-four (24) months of the fellow’s second and third years of fellowship training. These clinical experiences must include six (6) months of a half-day LBJ Hematology clinic.
   2. Must lead a patient safety or quality improvement project or complete the Clinical Safety and Effectiveness Course.
   3. Publication: Book Chapter, review article, or case report.

Clinical Investigator Track 

1. Application for the ASCO/ASH Young Investigator Award or other peer reviewed extramural funding support in the fall of the second or third year of fellowship training.
   2. Design and submission of a prospective clinical trial in a format acceptable to the Clinical Research Committee.
   
   OPTIONAL AND ENCOURAGED:

• Application to ASCO/AACR Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Workshop.
• Enrollment in a Master’s program or other formal training that advances the fellow’s aspirations as a Clinical Investigator.

Physician Scientist Track

1. One half day oncology continuity clinic throughout the three years.
   2. Application for the ASCO/ASH Young Investigator Award or other peer reviewed extramural funding support in the fall of the second or third year of fellowship training.
   3. A minimum of one publication as first author of original research in a peer-reviewed journal.
   
   OPTIONAL AND ENCOURAGED: 

• Application to AACR Molecular Biology in clinical Oncology Workshop (Aspen/Snowmass).

Clinical Educator Track

1. A minimum of six (6) half-day clinics per week for sixteen (16) of the twenty-four (24) months of the fellow’s second and third years of fellowship training. These clinical experiences must include six (6) months of a half-day LBJ Hematology clinic.
   2. Publication: Book Chapter, review article, or case report (preferably focused on Education or Curricular Development).
   3. Leadership in QI or simulation activities.
   
   OPTIONAL AND ENCOURAGED 

• Master’s in Education.
• Completion of the Physician Educator Certificate Program (PECP)
   

Following fellowship training, fellows may compete for entry into the Division of Cancer Medicine Advanced Scholar Program. This program provides for 100% protected time to concentrate their efforts intensively in an area of investigation and practice started in the fellowship program. Completion of the Advanced Scholar Program positions each scholar for success in a tenure-track position in academic medicine.

Class of 2018

Roman Groisberg, M.D. - Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ
Prateek Gulhati, M.D., Ph.D. - MD Anderson Cancer Center (Advanced Scholar), Houston, TX
Boyu Hu, M.D. - Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Paul Koller, M.D. - City of Hope, Duarte, CA
James Link, Ph.D., M.D. - Dignity Health/Marian Regional Medical Center, Santa Maria, CA
Hossein Maymani, M.D. - Rocky Mountain Cancer Center, Longmont, CO
Meredith McKean, M.D., MPH  - Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN
Pavlos Msaouel, M.D., Ph.D. - MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Maliha Nusrat, M.D. - Memorial Sloan Kettering, New Yourk, NY
Amanda Parkes, M.D. - University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
Christine Parseghian, M.D. - MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Patrick Pilie, M.D. - MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Shiraj Sen, M.D., Ph.D. - Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Denver, CO

Class of 2019

Aydah AlAwadhi, M.B.B.S. - Tawam Hospital, United Arab Emirates
Melody Becnel, M.D. - MD Anderson Cancer Center (Fellow), Houston, TX
Kelly Casteel, M.D. - MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Jad Chahoud, M.D. - Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL
Katherine Clifton, M.D. - Washington University, St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
Ryan Huey, M.D. - MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Daniel Johnson, M.D. - Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, LA
Amy Jones, M.D. - University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX
Andrew Laccetti - Memorial Sloan Kettering, New York, NY
Oluchi Oke, M.D. - MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Paolo Strati, M.D. - MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Jason Willis, M.D., Ph.D. - MD Anderson Cancer Center (Advanced Scholar), Houston, TX