Fellowship Details & Requirements

Our GME Office has preliminary eligibility requirements that all prospective trainees must meet before applying for a training program at our institution. In addition to these criteria, our program also has the following requirements:

• Successful completion of a three-year ACGME-accredited internal medicine residency program in the U.S. or a four-year Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada-accredited internal medicine residency program in Canada
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens, hold U.S. permanent residency, or possess a J-1 visa. The program does not sponsor any other type of visa.
• Eligibility to take the American Board of Internal Medicine's certification exam in internal medicine
  

Applications are accepted through the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS) only. ERAS opens for new applications on July 1, 2026. The deadline for submission of applications will be Aug. 31, 2026. Interviews will tentatively be conducted during the months of September and October.

Required documents for all applicants:

• Curriculum vitae
• Personal statement
• USMLE or COMLEX transcript
• (2) Letters of recommendation, plus
• (1) Letter of recommendation from your program director
• Medical school transcript
• Photograph (optional)
  

Additional documents for foreign medical school graduates:

Note: Documents in a language other than English must be submitted with a certified translation.

• Transcript of all college education
• ECFMG certificate

Additional documentation may be required before a candidate can be appointed.

Interview Information

All interviews for the 2026–2027 application season will be conducted in person. Each interview day will include a pre-interview social the evening prior, followed by a full day of interviews.

Interview Dates:

• Sept. 18, 25
• Oct. 9, 16, 23

Physician Scientist Track Interview Day: October 30

We look forward to welcoming you to Houston and sharing more about our program in person.

We offer a fully integrated hematology and medical oncology three-year program. For those pursuing eligibility for dual certification, the first 18 months of the program are dedicated to clinical education. During this time, fellows participate in the evaluation and management of patients with solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. Fellows participate in a continuity clinic at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in their first year and in a general oncology clinic at our affiliated county hospital in their second year. Other continuity clinics are also required in the second and/or third years to become board-eligible in both hematology and medical oncology.

Preparation for medical oncology certification incorporates training in the diagnosis and management of a broad spectrum of neoplastic disease. Each fellow is expected to be familiar with the natural history of the major and common human malignancies and knowledgeable about appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Hematology preparation is designed to incorporate the diagnosis and management of a broad spectrum of hematologic disorders. At the conclusion of this track, fellows are expected to be familiar with the natural history of hematologic and hemostatic disorders and hematologic malignancies.

To complete certification requirements, fellows are expected to develop concentrated expertise in one or more areas of clinical, basic or translational research. Projects are reviewed on a regular basis, and formal reports and presentations are required annually. It is anticipated that each fellow will leave this program as a competent, skilled oncologist with the ability to develop as an independent investigator in either a laboratory-based or clinically oriented research program.

Learning Objectives

Provide a well-rounded educational experience for clinical training in medical oncology and hematology with comprehensive understanding of principles and treatment technique

• Provide an environment that promotes clinical expertise in hematology and oncology with exposure to the details of treatment for the full spectrum of disease sites, the pathology in each disease site, and the alternative surgical and medical oncologic options
• Foster a multidisciplinary approach to cancer care through participation in disease-site-oriented, combined conferences with highly specialized hematologists, medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, pathologists and radiologists
• Introduce and promote clinical research through retrospective and prospective evaluations of patients treated at MD Anderson
• Provide a background in the fundamentals of laboratory research and the opportunity to participate in a laboratory based, translational project

The Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowships at MD Anderson Cancer Center offer several tracks to allow you to tailor your training to your career goals. All fellows will receive a strong foundation in clinical oncology through rotations in different areas like breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancer and leukemia. In your second year, you will choose a track that provides focused training in areas like research, education or clinical care.

• Clinical Investigator Track: Designed for those who want to develop research skills alongside their clinical training
• Physician-Scientist Track: For fellows who want to focus on laboratory research in areas like genetics and molecular biology
• Master Clinician Track: Provides the opportunity to gain extensive experience in patient care and clinical practice
• Clinician Educator Track: Focuses on training future educators for medical schools and residency programs
  

Common elements to all tracks include:

• 36 months of fellowship training
• Strong foundation in medical oncology
• Research mentorship and opportunities
• Participation in quality improvement and educational activities
• Publication in a peer-reviewed journal as part of scholarly and research activities

Fellow Research Earns National Recognition

Our Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship supports physicians as they develop research ideas, compete for funding, and build careers as independent investigators. With dedicated faculty mentorship and access to MD Anderson’s research resources, fellows pursue studies that address important questions in cancer biology, treatment, and patient care.

More Than $5 Million in Research FundingFor awards beginning from 2022 through 2026, our program’s records document 58 awards totaling more than $5 million across 45 recipients. These figures reflect the full value of the awards over their grant periods.

This support includes 38 Young Investigator Awards from Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation, as well as awards from the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, American Society of Hematology, Lymphoma Research Foundation, and other organizations supporting cancer research.

Seven Young Investigator Award Recipients in 2026

In 2026, seven fellows received Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Awards. Their projects address targeted treatment selection in breast cancer, new therapies for leukemia and lymphoma, treatment approaches for biliary tract cancers, immunotherapy-related complications, and equity in cancer care. One project explores a novel dual-action approach to combat urinary tract infection and bladder cancer.

Selected Research Highlights

• Erez Baruch received an NIH K99 award to investigate how the gut microbiome and chronic inflammation contribute to resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
• Ranjan Upadhyay received a Department of Defense Career Development Award to investigate strategies to improve CAR T-cell therapy in kidney cancer.
• Neha Akkad received a Lymphoma Research Foundation Clinical Investigator Career Development Award to develop patient-reported outcomes as clinical trial endpoints for people with T-cell lymphoma.
• Nakul Shah received three research awards in 2026, supporting studies of therapeutic targets in early-onset colorectal cancer and new treatment approaches for biliary tract cancers.

A Broad Foundation of Research Support

Our fellows have earned funding for laboratory, translational, and clinical research through a range of competitive programs. Awards beginning in 2022–2026 include four Lymphoma Research Foundation Scientific Research Mentoring Program awards, two Lymphoma Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants, and three American Society of Hematology awards through its Minority Hematology Fellow and Hematology Inclusion Pathway Fellow programs.

Additional support includes awards from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, Lung Cancer Research Foundation, Melanoma Research Foundation, Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, Fight Colorectal Cancer and the Collaborative Group of the Americas on Inherited Gastrointestinal Cancer, and MD Anderson’s Lymphoma SPORE Career Enhancement Program.

These awards help fellows advance their research, develop expertise, and establish the foundation for sustained contributions to cancer care.

Fellow Publications: Contributing to the Future of Cancer Care

Our fellows and recent graduates contribute to research across the full spectrum of hematology and medical oncology. Their publications explore the biology of cancer, evaluate new treatments, examine disparities in care, and address questions that arise in everyday clinical practice.

The selected publications below highlight their work as first authors and collaborators, with contributions appearing in journals including Nature, Cancer Cell, Cancer Discovery, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology, and The Lancet Digital Health.Cancer Biology and Treatment Resistance

Erez Baruch — Understanding resistance to immunotherapy
As first author, Erez Baruch and colleagues investigated how cancer-induced nerve injury contributes to resistance to anti-PD-1 therapy. This research examines interactions between tumors and the nervous system that may inform future therapeutic approaches.
Read the study on cancer-induced nerve injury and immunotherapy resistance.
Nature. 2025.

Andrew Harkins — Characterizing the lymphoma microenvironment
R. Andrew Harkins contributed to research identifying microenvironment archetypes in large B-cell lymphoma, helping characterize the biological differences among these cancers.
Read the study on large B-cell lymphoma microenvironment profiles.
Cancer Cell. 2025.

Rahul Shah — Investigating recovery after hematopoietic cell transplantation
Rahul Shah contributed to research examining how nonselective beta-adrenergic receptor inhibitors affect hematopoietic regeneration after transplantation in mice and humans.
Read the study on beta-adrenergic receptor inhibitors and hematopoietic regeneration.
Cancer Discovery. 2025.

New Treatment Strategies in Hematologic Malignancies

Jennifer Marvin-Peek — Evaluating targeted combinations for acute myeloid leukemia
Jennifer Marvin-Peek coauthored a study of frontline triplet regimens combining a hypomethylating agent, venetoclax, and an IDH inhibitor for patients with IDH-mutated acute myeloid leukemia who were ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.
Read the study on frontline triplet therapy for IDH-mutated AML.
Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2025.

Hannah Goulart — Examining venetoclax-based treatment approaches
Hannah Goulart and colleagues reviewed venetoclax-based combinations in acute myeloid leukemia, examining an important area of treatment development.
Read the publication on venetoclax-based combinations in AML.
Blood Cancer Discovery. 2025.

Karan Chohan — Exploring the biology of Waldenström macroglobulinemia
Karan Chohan and colleagues used multiomic approaches to investigate DNA methylation in IgM monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and Waldenström macroglobulinemia.
Read the study on molecular features of IgM MGUS and Waldenström macroglobulinemia.
Blood. 2024.

Precision Oncology and Emerging Research Methods

Michael LaPelusa — Applying machine learning to liver cancer outcomes
Michael LaPelusa contributed to an international retrospective study evaluating advanced machine learning to predict outcomes after atezolizumab and bevacizumab treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.
Read the study on machine learning and liver cancer treatment outcomes.
The Lancet Digital Health. 2026.

Deepak Bhamidipati — Reporting responses to targeted therapy in pancreatic cancer
Deepak Bhamidipati and colleagues reported exceptional responses to selpercatinib in RET fusion-driven metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Read the report on selpercatinib in RET fusion-driven pancreatic cancer.
JCO Precision Oncology. 2023.

Ryan Denu — Studying genomic testing in gastrointestinal stromal tumors
Ryan Denu and colleagues examined the utility of clinical next-generation sequencing in KIT/PDGFRA/SDH wild-type gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
Read the study on genomic testing in gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
Cancers. 2024.

Nicholas Hornstein — Evaluating treatment for a rare gastrointestinal cancer
Nicholas Hornstein and colleagues investigated the efficacy and safety of atezolizumab and bevacizumab in appendiceal adenocarcinoma.
Read the study on atezolizumab and bevacizumab in appendiceal cancer.
Cancer Research Communications. 2024.

Brain Metastases and Neuro-Oncology

Kelsey Pan and Kyle Concannon — Reviewing advances in intracranial treatment
Kelsey Pan, Kyle Concannon, and colleagues reviewed emerging therapies and evolving assessment criteria for intracranial metastases in patients with oncogene-driven non-small-cell lung cancer.
Read the review on intracranial metastases in oncogene-driven lung cancer.
Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology. 2023.

Afsaneh Amouzegar — Addressing the complexities of brain metastases management
Afsaneh Amouzegar and colleagues examined clinical considerations in managing brain metastases, contributing to educational resources for oncology professionals.
Read the publication on brain metastases management.
ASCO Educational Book. 2024.

Health Equity and Patient-Centered Research

Jenny Xiang and Nirosha Perera — Examining disparities across the cancer treatment pathway
Jenny Xiang and Nirosha Perera contributed to research examining racial and ethnic disparities along the treatment pathway among Medicare beneficiaries with metastatic breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers.
Read the study on disparities across the cancer treatment pathway.
Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2025.

Neha Akkad — Bringing patients’ perspectives into lymphoma care
Neha Akkad and Christopher Flowers examined patient-reported outcome measures in lymphoma, highlighting an area of research focused on understanding patients’ experiences.
Read the publication on patient-reported outcomes in lymphoma.
Current Oncology. 2025.

Inimfon Jackson — Investigating disparities in palliative care
Inimfon Jackson and Edward Bley examined racial and ethnic disparities in inpatient palliative care utilization and hospitalization outcomes among patients with colorectal cancer.
Read the study on disparities in inpatient palliative care.
Cancer Causes & Control. 2024.

Tara Davidson — Studying pregnancy-associated melanoma
Tara Davidson and colleagues examined the characteristics and outcomes of pregnancy-associated melanoma using data spanning 2002–2020.
Read the study on pregnancy-associated melanoma.
Melanoma Research. 2024.

Our trainees have the opportunity to work alongside leading cancer experts at MD Anderson and institutions across the Texas Medical Center. Additionally, our trainees receive exceptional support from the fellowship leadership team:   

Administrative Leadership

Our Alumni: Many Paths, Lasting Impact

Graduates of the MD Anderson Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship pursue careers across academic medicine, community practice, medical education, biotechnology, and health policy. They care for patients, investigate new treatments, lead organizations, and prepare the next generation of physicians.

The alumni featured below offer a glimpse of that community. Their careers reflect the many ways our graduates contribute to cancer care and the range of possibilities available to fellows as they develop their own interests and goals.

Educating and Mentoring the Next Generation

Vince Cataldo, M.D.
An alumnus of the fellowship, Dr. Cataldo now serves as Program Director of MD Anderson’s Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship. His career has included clinical practice and resident and medical student education in Louisiana. Today, he brings that experience back to the program where he trained, guiding the education and professional development of future hematologists and oncologists.

Amishi Shah, M.D.
Dr. Shah combines her work in genitourinary medical oncology at MD Anderson with her role as Associate Program Director for Medical Oncology. As a fellowship alumna and educator, she contributes to the clinical training and mentorship of current fellows. Her career illustrates how graduates can continue to shape the educational community in which they trained.

Amy Jones, M.D.
Dr. Jones serves as Program Director of the Hematology-Oncology Fellowship at UT Southwestern and Medical Director of Parkland’s inpatient hematology-oncology unit. During her MD Anderson fellowship, she served as chief fellow for quality improvement and education. Her career brings together fellowship leadership, patient care, and efforts to improve how care is delivered.

Megan Dupuis, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Dupuis directs Vanderbilt’s Internal Medicine Residency Program and co-directs its Medical Humanities graduate medical education certificate program. A former MD Anderson chief fellow, she also practices general hematology and oncology in Lebanon, Tennessee. Her work connects medical education, physician well-being, and cancer care in the community.

Rachna Shroff, M.D., MS, FASCO
Dr. Shroff serves as Chief of Hematology and Oncology and Associate Director of Clinical Investigations at the University of Arizona Cancer Center. Her career combines gastrointestinal cancer research, clinical leadership, and mentorship. Recognized with a faculty mentoring award, she exemplifies how alumni carry their commitment to education into leadership at other institutions.

Advancing Cancer Research and Treatment

Hagop Kantarjian, M.D.
Dr. Kantarjian has devoted his career to leukemia care and research at MD Anderson. Across decades of clinical investigation and leadership, he has helped advance the development and study of leukemia therapies while mentoring generations of physicians. His career represents a longstanding commitment to improving treatment through research and education.

Scott Kopetz, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Kopetz is a gastrointestinal oncologist and translational researcher at MD Anderson whose work focuses on colorectal cancer. His research examines how tumor biology and molecular alterations can inform treatment strategies. Through clinical investigation and research leadership, he helps connect scientific discoveries with questions that matter in patient care.

Michael Davies, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Davies leads MD Anderson’s Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology. His clinical and laboratory research explores melanoma biology, treatment resistance, and brain metastases, with the goal of informing more effective therapeutic approaches. His career integrates patient care, laboratory investigation, and the development of clinical research strategies.

Van Morris, M.D.
Dr. Morris is a gastrointestinal medical oncologist and colorectal cancer section chief at MD Anderson. His research investigates new treatment approaches for gastrointestinal cancers, including immunotherapy and personalized strategies. He also contributes to collaborative research programs and mentorship, helping fellows connect clinical questions with opportunities for investigation.

Hind Rafei, M.D.
Dr. Rafei combines clinical oncology with research in cellular immunotherapy at MD Anderson. Her work includes a first-author publication in Nature examining mechanisms that regulate engineered natural killer cells. Her career illustrates a physician-scientist pathway that connects fellowship research with continued investigation of potential cancer therapies.

Nour Abuhadra, M.D.
Dr. Abuhadra directs the Rare Breast Cancer Program and co-leads the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Clinical Research Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Her work focuses on patients with challenging breast cancer subtypes, including metaplastic and triple-negative breast cancers. She exemplifies how alumni develop specialized clinical and research programs around unmet patient needs.

Improving Access, Equity, and the Patient Experience

Sharon Giordano, M.D., MPH
Dr. Giordano’s research examines breast cancer outcomes, disparities, survivorship, and the long-term effects of treatment, including care for men with breast cancer. Her work uses population-level evidence to understand how cancer care is delivered and where it can improve. She has also received national recognition for her mentorship of oncology professionals.

Mariana Chavez Mac Gregor, M.D., MSc
Dr. Chavez Mac Gregor combines breast cancer care with health services research at MD Anderson. Her work examines treatment patterns, access, and outcomes, including factors that affect whether patients receive timely and appropriate care. Her career demonstrates how research on the delivery of care can address important questions beyond the development of new therapies.

Demetria Smith-Graziani, M.D., MPH
Dr. Smith-Graziani is a breast medical oncologist at Emory University’s Winship Cancer Institute. Her research explores inequities in breast cancer care, including racial disparities, neighborhood conditions, access to genetic testing, and treatment-related financial burdens. She brings a focus on equity to both clinical care and research.

Eric Singhi, M.D.
Dr. Singhi is a thoracic medical oncologist at MD Anderson whose work includes patient education and contributions to clinical practice guidelines. His career highlights the importance of helping patients understand a rapidly changing treatment landscape and supporting informed conversations about cancer care.

Serving Communities and Shaping Health Policy

Joseph Moore, M.D., FACP
After completing his fellowship and serving as chief oncology fellow at MD Anderson, Dr. Moore returned to his hometown of Wichita to join the Cancer Center of Kansas. He provides hematology and oncology care at multiple locations across the state. His career reflects the value of bringing specialized training home to the communities physicians know and serve.

Debra Patt, M.D., Ph.D., MBA
Dr. Patt combines breast cancer care with executive leadership and health policy work at Texas Oncology. Her career includes advocacy for access to cancer treatment and testimony before Congress. She demonstrates how oncologists can influence care through clinical practice, organizational leadership, and public policy.

Developing Therapies and Building Biotechnology Companies

Rajul Jain, M.D.
Dr. Jain is a Managing Director at Vida Ventures, where he invests in and helps build biotechnology companies. A former MD Anderson chief fellow, he previously held leadership roles at Kite Pharma and Amgen, including work in engineered cell therapy development. His career connects clinical training with the scientific and strategic decisions involved in developing new medicines.

Wei Lin, M.D.
Dr. Lin serves as Chief Medical Officer at Revolution Medicines. Following medical oncology fellowship training at MD Anderson, he pursued a career in clinical development and biotechnology leadership. His path illustrates how physicians can apply their oncology expertise to the design and advancement of cancer drug development programs.

Allen S. Yang, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Yang serves as Chief R&D Strategy Officer at Summit Therapeutics, leading its research and clinical development teams. A former MD Anderson chief fellow and recipient of ASCO Young Investigator and Career Development Awards, he has held leadership roles across academic medicine and biotechnology. His work has included contributions to the development and approval of multiple therapies.These profiles represent a selection of our alumni community. We celebrate graduates across career stages and practice settings, including those whose contributions are felt every day through patient care, teaching, mentorship, research, and service.

Institutional benefits and support

GME trainees’ salary stipends are updated every year based on the ACGME’s recommendations, and because our trainees are considered workforce members, they also enjoy MD Anderson’s employee benefits, including health insurance, retirement planning, disability insurance and six weeks of parental leave.

Our GME House Staff Senate offers trainees the opportunity to experience a leadership role in a medical field career, and the institution’s Academic Mentoring Council provides avenues to secure tailored academic mentoring from faculty. Our GME trainees benefit from the extensive support offered to our research trainees, too; they are invited to participate in grant application workshops, apply for pilot grants to support their research ideas and receive monetary awards for securing extramural grant funding.

Trainee wellness is also of utmost importance at MD Anderson.

Our trainees have access to MD Anderson’s employee networks, fitness center and other wellness resources provided by the institution. Additionally, our Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC), which provides oversight of our accredited programs, regularly assess our trainees’ needs and implements various initiatives, such as providing free call meals and discounted parking to GME House Staff, to address those gaps. The committee even has a subcommittee entirely dedicated to supporting the wellness of our trainees.

Our efforts to ensure a welcoming and supportive education and training experience have been commended nationally. In 2023, the Office of Graduate Medical Education received the DeWitt C. Baldwin, Jr. Award, a prestigious national award that recognizes our institution for its respectful and supportive environment for delivering medical education and patient care.

Beyond MD Anderson

MD Anderson’s location has many benefits, too. Our main campus is nestled inside the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest medical center which boasts about 10 million patient encounters each year. Many of our faculty are involved in interorganizational research collaborations, both within the TMC and across the nation, exposing trainees to groundbreaking advancements in medical care in real time.

Most importantly, the city of Houston is a great place to call home and raise a family. We are one of the most culturally diverse cities in the nation. More than 145 different languages are spoken across the city, placing us behind only New York and Los Angeles. In fact, about 30% of the city’s population speaks a language other than English at home. And, paychecks here stretch farther than most U.S. metro areas, thanks to our low cost of living.

Visit our Why Houston page to learn more about our city’s affordable housing, fine dining, entertainment scene, nationally renowned museums and other great attributes.