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Appointment Information - Donate Today
- Clinical & Research Training
- Graduate Medical Education
- Residency and Fellowship Programs
- Neurosurgical Oncology Fellowship
- Residency and Fellowship Programs
- Advanced Radiation Oncology Fellowship
- Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy Fellowship
- Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine Fellowship
- Body Imaging Fellowship
- Breast Imaging Fellowship
- Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship
- Cancer Anesthesia Residency/Fellowship
- Cancer Rehabilitation Fellowship
- Chemical Pathology Fellowship
- Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship
- Cytopathology Fellowship
- Procedural Dermatology Fellowship
- Dermatopathology Fellowship
- Felix Rutledge Fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology
- Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship
- Head and Neck Surgical Oncology and Reconstruction Fellowship
- Hematology/Oncology Fellowship
- Hematopathology Fellowship
- Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowships
- Internal Medicine Residency Program
- Interventional Radiology Integrated Residency
- Investigational Cancer Therapeutics Fellowship
- Leukemia Fellowship
- Lymphoma/Myeloma Fellowship
- Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery
- Molecular Genetic Pathology Fellowship
- Musculoskeletal Oncology Fellowship
- Musculoskeletal Radiology Fellowship
- Neuro-Oncology Fellowship
- Neurosurgical Oncology Fellowship
- Oncologic Emergency Medicine Fellowship
- Oncologic Endocrinology Fellowship
- Onco-nephrology Fellowship
- Oncologic Neuroradiology
- Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship (ASOPRS /ACGME)
- Oral Oncology & Maxillofacial Prosthetics
- Pain Medicine Fellowship
- Pediatric Hematology & Oncology Fellowship
- Radiation Oncology Residency
- Selective Breast Pathology Fellowship
- Selective Cancer Biomarker Pathology Fellowship
- Selective Gastrointestinal & Liver Pathology Fellowship
- Selective Genitourinary Pathology Fellowship
- Selective Gynecologic Pathology Fellowship
- Selective Head & Neck Pathology Fellowship
- Selective Soft Tissue Pathology Fellowship
- Selective Surgical Pathology Fellowship
- Selective Thoracic Pathology Fellowship
- Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy
- Surgical Endocrinology Fellowship
- Thoracic Head & Neck Medical Oncology Fellowship
- Thoracic Radiology Fellowship
- Thoracic Surgery Fellowship
- Urinary Tract and Pelvic Reconstruction Fellowship
- Urologic Oncology Fellowship
- Vascular & Interventional Radiology Fellowship
Neurosurgical Oncology Fellowship
About the Program
The Neurosurgery department offers four fellowship positions in neurosurgical oncology, plus one fellowship position dedicated to skull base surgery, beginning July 1 of each year.
The overall goal is to train young neurosurgeons to become academic neurosurgical oncologists who are highly skilled and knowledgeable surgeons. The program was established in 1991 and has trained more than 80 fellows, who currently practice throughout the world.
Fellows will learn from our exemplary team of clinical and research faculty members.
Clinical Activity
Neurosurgery clinical faculty members are widely recognized for their expertise in primary and metastatic brain tumor surgery, pituitary adenoma surgery, cranial base surgery, spinal reconstructive surgery, surgical procedures for pain management, pediatric neurosurgery and stereotactic surgery. The department performs over 1,900 brain, spine and skull base surgeries each year.
Our unique surgical expertise allows us to offer fellows exposure to all aspects of neurosurgical oncology, including:
- The surgery of primary and metastatic brain tumors
- Surgery of primary and metastatic spinal tumors and reconstruction
- Trans-sphenoidal surgery
- Skull base surgery
- Surgical treatment of pain
- Advanced brain mapping techniques
- Endoscopic neurosurgery
- Pediatric neurosurgery
- Intraoperative MRI
- Proton Beam Therapy
- Brain (Gamma Knife) and Spinal Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Fellows will also have access to a new Microsurgical and Endoscopic Center for Clinical Applications (MECCA) Laboratory, a multidisciplinary state-of-the-art cadaveric and animal surgical lab for education, training and research.
Research Activity
The Department of Neurosurgery has developed a world-class clinical research program to manage all aspects of neurosurgical oncology, including complex brain and skull-base tumors, spinal tumors and intractable, cancer-related pain disorders. Our basic and applied research programs are also regarded as premier programs with expert faculty that work closely with physician-scientists to integrate laboratory discoveries with clinical observations.
Ongoing research projects include:
- Management strategies for brain metastasis
- Mechanisms of inducing immunity against human brain tumors
- The mechanism of cell death and differentiation of neural stem cells after radiation
- Molecular mechanisms of glioma and brain metastasis
- Oncolytic viral therapy for glioblastoma
In addition, we are proud to be one of the few cancer centers in the nation to house a prestigious federally-funded Brain Cancer SPORE (Specialized Program of Research Excellence) program. Enabling us to offer a range of clinical trials, many of which are available at only a few centers in the country.
Skull Base Tract
In 2013, we expanded the Neurosurgical Oncology Fellowship to include a dedicated year in skull base neurosurgery. Under the guidance of Franco DeMonte, M.D., and working with Shaan Raza, M.D., trainees are exposed to the multidisciplinary care of patients with a variety of pathologies unique to the skull base. The fellows work closely with colleagues in Head and Neck Surgery, Neuro-Otology, Ophthalmology, Plastic Surgery, and Medical and Radiation Oncology. Their experience centers on problem-focused decision making, the acquisition and refinement of advanced surgical techniques, as well as study of the complex anatomy of the region. They are trained in technically challenging open procedures as well as minimally invasive and endoscopic surgeries. It is a unique program due to the high volume of patients seen at MD Anderson with skull base malignancies as well as the more commonly seen benign tumors of the skull base. This has quickly become one of the premier fellowship training programs focusing on the neurosurgical management of skull base neoplasia.
How to Apply
Applicants should have completed or be nearing completion of a board accredited residency program in neurosurgery. Minority and female applicants are strongly encouraged to apply. Use our DISCOVER online application system to apply for the 2020-2021 fellowship in Neurosurgical Oncology. The deadline to apply is Nov. 2, 2018. Inside the DISCOVER system:
- Click on “How Do I Apply?"
- Go to area 1) Physician-in-Training program > GME Residency/Fellowship
- Click the DISCOVER system link
- Follow instructions to sign up and create an account, using the following information:
- Position: Physician-in-Training Programs
- Academic year: 2020-2021
- Division Name: Surgery > Neurosurgical Oncology
- Click Apply now
Living in Houston
MD Anderson Cancer Center is located in Houston, in the Texas Medical Center, which boasts:
- The finest in medical education and treatment
- Numerous parks, including Hermann Park which has an outdoor theater and large zoo
- An academic and cultural arena that includes Baylor College of Medicine, Rice and St. Thomas Universities, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Contemporary Arts
- Close proximity to Houston's noted symphony orchestra, opera, theater and ballet.
Other sites of various activities available within a few minutes' drive include Moody Gardens, Sam Houston Race Park, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, SplashTown Waterpark, Downtown Aquarium, Space Center Houston, Lone Star Flight Museum, San Jacinto Battlefield, NRG Stadium, Minute Maid Park, Toyota Center and the George R. Brown Convention Center. For more information, go to Visit Houston. The cost of living is moderate and housing is very reasonable.
Contact Information
Shaan M. Raza, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Director of Training
Neurosurgery, Unit 442
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77030
Phone: 713-792-2400
Fax: 713-794-4950
Email: callen4@mdanderson.org
Our Alumni
Where are they now?
Since the Neurosurgical Oncology Fellowship was established in 1991, we have trained more than 80 fellows, who currently practice around the world. The Skull Base Tumor Fellowship was established in 2013 and all fellows who have graduated from the program have gone on to careers at highly respected academic medical centers. Learn more about our recent and faculty alumni below.
2016-2017 Alumni
- Tiffany Hodges, M.D. Current Affiliation: University Hospitals at Cleveland Medical Center, Ohio
- Ali Jalali, M.D., Ph.D. Current Affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Wajd Al-Holou, M.D. Current Affiliation: Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
- Richard Everson, M.D. Current Affiliation: UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Jacob Freeman, M.D. (Skull Base Fellow) Current Affiliation: Ocala Neurosurgical Center, Ocala, Florida
2015-2016 Alumni
- Sarah Garber, M.D. Current Affiliation: University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Peleg Horowitz, M.D., Ph.D. (Skull Base Fellow) Current Affiliation: The University of Chicago Medicine, Illinois
- Jonathan Thomas, M.D. Current Affiliation: Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Brian Williams, M.D. Current Affiliation: University of Louisville, Kentucky
2014-2015 Alumni
- Edjah Nduom, M.D. (2013-2015) Current Affiliation: National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
- Vincent DiNapoli, M.D., Ph.D. (Skull Base Fellow) Current Affiliation: University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Salvatore Zavarella, D.O. Current Affiliation: Long Island Neurological and Pain Specialists, West Islip, New York
2013-2014 Alumni
- Michael Dirks, M.D., U.S. Army, Bethesda, Maryland
- Yan Michael Li, M.D., Ph.D., University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
- Rohan Ramikrishna, M.D., Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, New York
- Shaan Raza, M.D. (Skull Base Fellow), MD Anderson, Houston, Texas
2012-2013 Alumni
- Betty Y.S. Kim, M.D., Ph.D. (Skull Base Fellow), Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida
- Tal Shahar, M.D. (2011-2013), Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Adrian Harvey, D.O., Maricopa Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona
- Nick Marko, M.D., Geisinger Health System, Danville, Pennsylvania
- Mateo Ziu, M.D., Seton Brain and Spine Institute, Austin, Texas
Faculty Alumni
Several members of our own faculty came from the Neurosurgical Oncology Fellowship Program. Faculty alumni include:
- Frederick Lang, M.D. (1995-1996)
- Jeffrey Weinberg, M.D. (2000-2001)
- Sujit Prabhu, M.D. (2001-2002)
- Ganesh Rao, M.D. (2005-2006)
- Claudio Tatsui, M.D. (2006-2008)
- Shaan Raza, M.D. (2013-2014)
MD Anderson Cancer Center is committed to encouraging good health and staying true to our mission to end cancer. If you are applying for a GME fellowship or residency program starting on or after July 1, 2016, please be advised that MD Anderson will have instituted a tobacco-free hiring process as part of its efforts to achieve these goals. If you are offered an appointment, you will be subject to a Pre-Employment Drug Screen for tobacco compounds in compliance with applicable state laws. If you do not pass the urine drug screening which includes testing for tobacco compounds, you CANNOT be appointed at MD Anderson. Should you fail to meet this contingency, MD Anderson will withdraw your offer of appointment for the academic year. You may reapply for the following academic year, but there are no guarantees that you will be offered a position as many of our programs are already filled for several years out.