- Clinical Education for Non-Physicians
- Clinical Ethics Fellowship
- Clinical Ethics Online Certificate Program
- Clinical Pastoral Education
- Graduate Level Oncologic Speech Language Pathology Trainee Program
- Imaging Physics Residency Program
- Neuropsychology Fellowship
- Office of Physician Assistant Education Internship
- Pharmacy PGY1/PGY2 Health Systems Pharmacy Administration Residency
- Pharmacy PGY1 Residency
- Pharmacy PGY2 Critical Care Residency
- Pharmacy PGY2 Medication-Use Safety and Policy Residency
- Pharmacy PGY2 Infectious Diseases Residency
- Pharmacy PGY2 Oncology Residency
- Physician Assistant Student Elective Rotation
- Postgraduate Physician Assistant Program in Oncology
- Radiation Physics Residency
- Social Work Internship
Postgraduate Physician Assistant Program in Oncology
The mission of the Postgraduate Physician Assistant Oncology program is to eliminate cancer in Texas, the nation and the world by training the next generation of outstanding physician assistants who will provide comprehensive care to cancer patients as part of effective interprofessional teams and who will be leaders in healthcare delivery, cancer prevention, education, clinical research and quality improvement.
The postgraduate program spans 12 months and is designed to prepare PAs for a career in adult medical, surgical and radiation oncology.
Postgraduate PA Fellowship in Oncology Program Handbook
Education Committee for Healthcare Professions Trainee Reference Manual
Accreditation Update:
The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Clinical Postgraduate Program status to the MD Anderson Cancer Center Postgraduate Physician Assistant Fellowship in Oncology Program sponsored by MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Physician Assistant Education Programs
Curriculum
Didactic Curriculum
The didactic component of the curriculum consists of lectures, multidisciplinary conferences and Institutional Grand Rounds. By working at a premier oncology research institution, participants will have the opportunity to become involved in research. At the end of the year, each PA will prepare a manuscript suitable for publication on a relevant oncology topic.
Clinical Curriculum
The didactic portion of the curriculum is reinforced daily by hands-on training in a variety of settings, including multidisciplinary clinics, hospital wards, and the operating room. Trainees will become an integral part of the health care team, be supervised by an attending physician and gain the confidence and skills required to become a successful oncologic PA.
Participants will have the opportunity to gain skills in various surgical procedures, bone marrow aspiration, biopsy interpretation and management of immunocompromised patients. They will also gain experience in correlating the clinical evaluation of the patient with radiologic, laboratory and pathologic findings. During the year, PAs will rotate through 16 core rotations. In addition, time will be available for elective rotations.
Clinical Rotations
- Breast Oncology
- Gastrointestinal Oncology
- Gynecologic Oncology
- Head and Neck Oncology
- Infectious Diseases
- Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Melanoma
- Palliative Care
- Radiology
- Sarcoma
- Stem Cell Transplant
- Neuro-oncology
- Thoracic Oncology
- Genitourinary Oncology
- Community Oncology
- Elective clinical rotations (time permitting) available including Plastic Surgery, Pediatric Oncology and Investigational Cancer Therapeutics
Benefits & Expenses
The competitive stipend for FY 20 is $93,500. PA fellows receive various benefits as provided for MD Anderson clinical trainees. For information regarding these benefits, refer to the Clinical Education Trainee Manual noted above. PA fellows may incur some professional costs during the program to include books, professional organization membership fees, conference registration, etc. It is estimated that these expenses be no more than $1,000.
Upon completion of the program, participants will receive a certificate and have earned approximately 100 hours of continuing medical education credit. They may also discover future job opportunities by networking within MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the program, applicants must:
- Be a student or graduate in good standing of an Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) approved PA program
- Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university (Masters degree preferred)
- Be a certified PA through the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
- Obtain a Texas PA license prior to the program start date
How to Apply
Please email us at paponc@mdanderson.org with any questions.
Applications for the 2024-2025 PA Fellowship cohort will be accepted starting in June 1, 2023-July 28, 2023
Applications are due by 5 p.m. CST on Friday, July 28, 2023. No late submissions will be accepted.
Apply to this program using the Fellowship Application Form. The following documents are required:
- References. You will be asked to submit the names and contact information for two individuals who will be contacted by our office on your behalf. If employed, one reference must be from a current supervising physician. New graduates must provide at least one reference from their program director or a clinical faculty member.
- Personal statement
- Curriculum vitae
- Physician Assistant Fellowship Knowledge Assessment
- Original transcripts from PA school attended must be submitted directly to the PA office if you are offered a position. During the application process, unofficial transcripts can be submitted through Discover.
- 2 Professional References. Each reference will be requested to write a letter of recommendation (LOR). Please select your references based on the following:
- One reference will be requested to write a LOR discussing and assessing your clinical acumen and skills
- One reference will be requested to write a LOR discussing and assessing your didactic capacity and ability
- One reference will be requested to write a LOR discussing and assessing your clinical acumen and skills
We also would like to learn more about you and your interest in oncology. Within your curriculum vitae (CV) and personal statement, we encourage you to include information in any or all of the following areas:
- Professional Goals and Interest in Oncology
- Clinical/Research/Employment Experience in the field of oncology
- Graduate coursework and projects
- Clinical research experience
- Professional publications
- Honors and awards
- Volunteer experience
Applicants will be asked to complete an submit the Reference Contact Information form found in their Discover account in a timely manner, as the program will be contacting the individuals provided on the form on their behalf to complete a separate recommendation letter and evaluation on didactic capacity and clinical acumen. No other documents are needed in Discover at this time. There are additional documents required for Discover once an applicant is accepted into the program.
Selection Process
Applicants are selected based on their academic achievement, interpersonal skills and an established interest in oncology. Those with an interest in PA education and leadership are encouraged to apply. Top applicants are invited to a virtual interview. Three PA fellow positions are filled each cohort, depending on budget.
Timeline of Events
- Application period for 2023-2024 cohort begins: June 1, 2023
- Application due date: July 28, 2023
- Invite to Interview: September 2023
- Interview Day (required): November 2023
- Notification of acceptance: December 2023
- Program Start Date: April 2024
- Program End Date: March 2025
PLEASE NOTE: These dates and timeline depend on the duration of MD Anderson's current response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dates are subject to change.
Learn more about our program
Contact Information
Katie DeLucia, MPAS, PA-C
Associate Director of Physician Assistant Practice
Program Director, Postgraduate PA Fellowship in Oncology Program
Michelle Castillo, MHA
Operations Manager, Advanced Practice
Administrative Director, Postgraduate PA Fellowship in Oncology Program
Office of Physician Assistant Programs
MD Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Blvd.
Unit 418
Houston, TX 77030
Phone: 713-745-0440
Fax: 713-792-2304
Email: paponc@mdanderson.org
Our Labs
Learn more about our faculty and research taking place in our labs.
Conferences
View conferences available for continuing education credit.