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. This program also has the following additional requirements:

• 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.
• Personal Statement (goals and reason for pursuing an Onco-Hospitalist Fellowship)

Trainee Appointments: Criteria for selection of trainees

All candidates must have completed or be in the process of completing (PGY3) an Internal Medicine residency training in an accredited program, be in good standing in the USA or Canada, and have an active license from the Texas Medical Board or be eligible to obtain a training permit from the Texas Medical Board.

The following documents must be submitted to be considered:

• Completion of an application form
• Personal Statement (including goals and reason(s) for pursuing an Oncology Hospitalist Fellowship)
• Curriculum Vitae
• (3) Letters of recommendation, plus one additional from their residency director
• Original medical school transcript
• Personal interview with faculty members
• Certificates of completion from all (GME) graduate medical education programs (residencies and/or fellowships).  Candidates enrolled in an accredited GME program who have not yet completed it must submit a Letter of Good Standing dated no more than 6 months before the anticipated start date.

 The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is an equal opportunity employer and maintains a safe, smoke-free environmen

*All documents in a foreign language must be accompanied by a certified English translation.

Interested applicants should send their CV, personal statement, and 3 letters of recommendation to the Program Coordinator, Education, Kourtney Spriggins at kspriggins@mdanderson.org.

After reviewing the applications, selected candidates will be contacted via email to schedule an interview with our faculty.

Our Onco-Hospitalist Fellowship program has the following goals and objectives:

Goals

The goal of the Onco-Hospitalist Fellowship is to train internists in the management of complex medical problems of cancer patients in the hospital setting.

Objectives

At the completion of a one-year training period, the fellow is expected to:

• Be knowledgeable in the diagnosis and management of the different medical problems afflicting the cancer patient and/or survivors, including complications related to the cancer diagnosis and its treatment.
• Understand the side-effect profiles of many commonly used oncologic agents.
• Interpret the most common radiology, CT, MRI, and PET findings encountered in cancer patients on the wards.
• Master the skill required to palliate many of the symptoms commonly experienced by the oncology patient.

The Onco-Hospitalists Fellowship is a non-ACGME not accredited program by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) but adheres to the ACGME’s guidelines.  

Although this is a one-year program, fellows may request to pursue an additional year of training, provided they submit an appropriate research proposal. The research will allow the fellow to further focus on an area of oncology hospitalist and establish a formal mentoring relationship with one of our experienced research faculty. During this year, the fellow will continue to participate in clinical activities to maintain their clinical acumen.

Fellows will rotate on established inpatient services, including the Hospitalist service, Teaching service, Palliative Care, Emergency Center, and Liquid Tumor services. Fellows will also rotate through consulting services, including Radiation Oncology, Interventional Radiology, and other internal medicine subspecialties, including Benign Hematology, Suspicion of Cancer, Endocrinology, and Infectious Diseases. The purpose of these rotations is for the fellow to receive expert training in these areas and become experts in the management of hospitalized cancer patients.

Clinical Conferences

The program provides educational leave time for trainees to attend or participate in professional meetings and conferences. In the event a trainee has an abstract accepted for an oral or poster presentation, the department will sponsor travel, accommodations, registration and publication costs to allow the trainee to attend/participate in one professional meeting or conference. Attendance at additional meetings will be considered within budgetary constraints.

Research Activities

Year 1

Fellows will be expected to present journal articles or generate topical lectures once a month at the Hospital Medicine departmental meetings. In addition, fellows will be expected to create an original research project defined by the program director with support from a designated faculty mentor. Also, it is expected for the fellow to be actively involved in either a quality assurance or quality improvement project within Hospital  Medicine.

Year 2 (Optional)

Second-year fellows will be expected to select a topic of special interest in the Oncology Hospitalist field. During this year, the fellows will develop a research plan and protocol (with the approval of their assigned mentor). The fellow will collect data and compose a manuscript for publication.

The faculty in the Department of Hospital Medicine have very diverse research interests and ongoing activities. Our dedicated researchers have been successful in receiving funding from the federal and state governments and other institutional funding sources. The research interests of the department range from readmission reductions, immunotherapy toxicities, COVID and oncologic emergencies, including pain treatment and palliative care, to the role of obesity and diabetes in breast cancer. Furthermore, many of the research projects listed below involve collaboration with other departments and institutions.

Clinical Research

• Unplanned hospitalizations among elderly GI cancer patients in Texas 
• Unplanned readmissions among elderly GI cancer patients in Texas 
• Derivation and validation of readmission risk scoring system among cancer patients
• Systematic review on anti-diabetes medications and cancer outcomes
• Cholangitis and cancer retrospective review of data

Quality Improvement Projects

• Reducing readmissions on the hospitalist service 
• Patient needs assessment at the time of discharge 

Inpatient service

Our fellowship’s goal is to inspire and aid future internal medicine leaders to advance their current education by developing advanced knowledge and skills to take care of cancer patients. The fellowship curriculum is based on the Core Competencies in Hospital Medicine, defined by the Society of Hospital Medicine in 2006. Special emphasis has been given to the clinical conditions most encountered in cancer patients, as well as health care systems.

The Core Competencies have been arranged in different sections and represent the objective and mission of the fellowship program.

• Clinical Medicine: Will provide clinical training with special emphasis on clinical conditions commonly encountered in the oncology patient, evidence-based medicine, palliative care, drug safety, pharmacoeconomics and pharmacoepidemiology, and practice-based and learning improvement.
• Health Care Systems: The fellow will be able to develop the necessary skills to facilitate and improve the following processes in the health care system: patient safety, quality improvement methods, transitions of care, team approach and multidisciplinary care and risk management.
• Professionalism: Fellows will be equipped with knowledge to assist them in developing professional attitudes such as respect, cross-cultural sensitivity, accountability, confidentiality, communication, shared decision making, compassion/empathy, medical ethics and commitment to excellence.
• Education: Onco-hospitalist fellows will develop teaching skills that will allow them to become educational leaders and innovators in hospital medicine.
• Research: Fellows will develop skills in basic research, design, data collection and analysis, dissemination of findings and research methods.

Year 1

Fellows completing the program must be capable of meeting the educational objectives listed below:

• Be able to competently and efficiently evaluate and treat oncology patients who are admitted to the hospital with a wide variety of life-threatening illnesses.
• Understand the side-effect profiles of many commonly used oncologic agents.
• Master the skill of pain control in patients with acute/chronic pain.
• Master the skill required to palliate many of the symptoms commonly experienced by the oncology patient.
• Interpret the most common radiology, CT, MRI, and PET findings encountered in cancer patients on the wards.
• Identify complex hematological problems encountered with acutely ill oncology patients.
• Understand the treatment of neutropenic fever.
• Identify hematological causes of fever.
• Understand the current treatment modalities for the most treated cancers.
• Understand the common complications of radiation therapy and the treatment of such complications.
• Understand the complexities and management of stents, drains and catheters commonly used in cancer patients.
• Engage patients and families in advanced care planning and initiate end-of-life conversations when pertinent.
• Develop a collaborative team-based approach with social workers, case managers, mid­ level providers and floor nurses to facilitate transitions of care.
• Be able to assist faculty in the teaching and evaluation of medical students and residents.
• Participate actively in basic clinical research and quality improvement projects.

Year 2

The optional second year of our Onco-Hospitalist Internal Medicine Fellowship will further enhance the abilities of the individual to expand their knowledge of the emerging field of oncologic internal medicine and to create unique contributions to the field. There is a paucity of data and original research publications in the field of oncologic internal medicine. The fellow will have the opportunity to establish themselves at the forefront of this emerging field. Other responsibilities of the second-year fellow will include helping to mentor the first-year fellow, as well as helping supervise rotating residents in the Hospital Medicine department.

Fellows completing this optional year of research will be expected to:

• Select a topic for in-depth study in the field of oncologic internal medicine.
• Become proficient in research study design and protocol development.
• Gain experience in developing and participating in IRB-approved lab or clinical protocols.
• Become skilled at interpreting research data.
• First author of a manuscript with the aid of a selected mentor.
• Submit a manuscript for publication.

The  Department of Hospital Medicine provides many opportunities for direct patient care of critically ill cancer patients. The fellow will experience the field of oncologic internal medicine by treating patients admitted to the Hospitalist Service. They will rotate during an orientation period lasting four weeks, under the direct supervision of a faculty member. During this period, a didactic curriculum will further enhance the understanding and training of the fellow.

The next phase will allow the fellow to rotate in different areas under the supervision of the faculty in charge of that rotation. Upon successful completion of this phase, the fellow will be incorporated into the regular Hospitalist Service rotation in a fellow's capacity.

Further instruction and supervision will be introduced as needed in this phase. The fellow will receive feedback regarding their performance in weekly debriefing sessions.  It is anticipated that topics brought forward from these weekly sessions will further direct topics of discussion in the weekly theme lectures provided by the staff. These sessions will also direct topics for journal article presentations by the fellow at the monthly Hospital Medicine meetings.

The didactics and other scholarly activities within the program are that the Department of Hospital Medicine is home to the R25 Methods Training in Patient­ Centered Cancer Outcomes Research grant, which will provide a didactic training program for all fellows with little to no prior training in research methods. The program includes basic learning modules available free of charge in the form of online multimedia lectures prepared by experts in the field. The lectures will cover the basic learning program, including research methodology and biostatistics, as outlined below:

• Observational studies: overview of study design considerations for observational studies, overview of observational studies and registries, statistical analysis considerations in observational studies, ethics, data ownership and privacy, among others.
• Pragmatic clinical trials and health care delivery evaluations: overview of study design, patient­-centered outcome measures, basic experimental design, basic analytic methods, and ethics, among others.
• Systematic reviews and decision analysis: literature search and information retrieval, systematic reviews methodology, clinical practice guidelines and others.

Advanced learning modules will also be available for those with previous research training through webinars, face-to-face workshops and an online learning forum.

Institutional resources from the Research Medical Library (outlined below) will guide fellows in preparing abstracts, case reports and publications.

The Department of Hospital Medicine also conducts weekly Research and Clinical Conferences. The purpose of these conferences is to discuss topics related to research projects, journal clubs and internal medicine updates.

Supervision and Evaluation

Oncology-Hospitalist fellows will always practice under the direct supervision of faculty attendings. They will progressively take on more responsibility in patient care and team leadership as they demonstrate proficiency in the skills outlined in the program’s goals and objectives.

Evaluation

During each year of training, fellows are evaluated a minimum of four times:

• At least two clinical or research mentors will be asked to evaluate the fellow on their competencies within the program during each year of training.
• The Program Director will evaluate the fellow’s progress and share the results of their performance evaluations to date four times per year.

Trainees will be provided a form to evaluate the program and faculty and make recommendations that may lead to improvements in the training and research experience.

Duty hours/Calls

The program adheres to ACGME guidelines for work duty hours, ensuring a balance between high-quality education, safe and effective patient care, and the well-being of the trainees.

After-hours calls/Weekend calls

• The trainees are responsible for their own patients until 5:30 p.m. and will need to answer calls until that time. They are not required to take pager calls overnight.
• Trainees are not required to take calls in-house, but they might be required to participate in the hospitalist service’s late shift schedule.

Mentorship

A research mentor will be assigned to the fellow at the beginning of the first year and will work closely with the fellow throughout the year to complete a research project.

Sharon Hechter, M.D. (2024–2025 Cohort)
Hechter joined the Department of Hospital Medicine as a clinical specialist following the successful completion of the Oncologic Hospital Medicine Fellowship Program. Throughout her fellowship, she demonstrated a strong commitment to clinical excellence, multidisciplinary collaboration, and innovation in the care of acutely ill oncology patients. In her current role,  Hechter continues to contribute to the department’s clinical and educational initiatives, advancing best practices in oncologic hospital medicine and enhancing patient outcomes through compassionate, evidence-based care.

Ashwathy Balachadran, M.D. (2023–2024 Cohort)
Upon successful completion of the Onco-Hospitalist Fellowship, Balachadran transitioned into a full-time instructor position within Hospital Medicine. During her fellowship year, she demonstrated exceptional clinical acumen in managing complex oncologic inpatients and contributed meaningfully to quality improvement initiatives focused on optimizing transitions of care for cancer patients. As a faculty member, Balachadran continues to build on her academic interests in evidence-based hospital medicine and patient safety, while actively mentoring trainees and advancing the department’s mission of excellence in oncologic care.

Sadiq Nazia Mohammad, M.D. (2023–2024 Cohort)
Following completion of the Onco-Hospitalist Fellowship, Mohammad joined Hospital Medicine as a full-time instructor. During her fellowship, she distinguished herself through strong leadership, compassionate patient care and scholarly work examining clinical outcomes in hospitalized oncology patients. In her faculty role, Mohammad continues to strengthen the department’s academic and educational portfolio, engaging in research collaborations, teaching residents and fellows and providing high-quality, patient-centered hospitalist care to individuals with complex cancer diagnoses.

Haider Altay, M.D. (2021–2022 Cohort)
Upon successful completion of the Onco-Hospitalist Fellowship, Altay joined Hospital Medicine as a full-time instructor. During his fellowship, he demonstrated strong clinical judgment, leadership, and an aptitude for managing acutely ill oncology patients with multifaceted medical needs. His research contributions centered on improving inpatient care pathways and enhancing outcomes for patients with advanced malignancies. As aninstructor, Altay continues to strengthen the department’s academic and clinical programs through his commitment to evidence-based medicine, mentorship and collaborative patient care.

Hadeel Sahar, M.D. (2020–2021 Cohort)
After completing the Onco-Hospitalist Fellowship, Sahar joined the Hospital Medicine as a full-time Instructor. During her fellowship, she exhibited exceptional dedication to patient-centered care and developed expertise in managing complex oncologic and immunocompromised patients. Her scholarly work focused on clinical process improvement and the early identification of complications in hospitalized cancer patients. As a faculty member,  Sahar continues to advance the department’s academic and clinical missions through excellence in teaching, quality improvement and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Pillai AB, Sadiq N, Chua R, Tijani AA, Tierce HE, Clavijo CS, Agu A, Vega MF, Phyu EM, Odaro O, Sahar H, Mohammed AD, Pham O, Brito-Dellan N, Manzano JM. 1182 Multisystem immunotherapy-related adverse events among patients with breast cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. Published: 2024 Nov 01; 12.

Balachandran Pillai A, Madewell J, Boving V, Brito-Dellan N, Manzano JG, Layman R, Mujtaba B, Goodman Y, Williams C. Enhancing gout diagnosis in cancer patients through dual-energy CT (DECT): A quality improvement initiative at MD Anderson Cancer Center. To be presented at MASCC 2024. Lille, France Published: 2024 Jun.

Sadiq N, Balachandran-Pillai A, Chua R, Etchegaray M, Brito-Dellan N, Franco-Vega M, Lu M, Mathews S, Zhao C, Sahar H, Nguyen K, Nguyen S, Kheder E, Manzano JG. “Clinical Outcomes after Biliary Procedures among Patients with Malignant Biliary Obstruction in a Comprehensive Cancer Center”. Division of Internal Medicine 2024 Research Retreat, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Published: 2024 Jun.

Sadiq N, Balachandran-Pillai A, Jorgensen J, Parisi X, Manzano JG, Brito-Dellan N. Leukopenia: A Rare Finding of the Rarer Hematological Side Effects of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors” Society of Immunotherapy for Cancer. Society of Immunotherapy for Cancer. Published: 2024 Mar.

Balachandran-Pillai A, Sadiq N, Manzano JG, Brito-Dellan N. An uncommon occurrence of Immune Check Point Inhibitor-related Gastritis in a Breast Cancer Patient undergoing Neoadjuvant therapy. Society of Hospital Medicine Houston Chapter. Published: 2023 Dec.

Teaching Faculty

Departmental Support and Benefit

The Hospital Medicine department is large and operates 24/7 year-round, providing continuous care for a high volume of complex cancer inpatient cases. Onco-hospitalists at UT MD Anderson frequently manage very complex patients (solid tumors, medical complications of cancer, etc.), with multidisciplinary collaboration. Research infrastructure is strong; there is expectation and support for scholarly output.

All fellows will benefit from a comprehensive mentoring approach during their training. A research mentor will be assigned to the fellow at the beginning of the first year and will work closely with the fellow throughout the year to complete a research project.  The mentor will meet with the fellow to create a personalized plan of action to achieve their research goals. They will meet at least once a quarter to review the fellow's progress in achieving their goals and to ensure experiential training objectives are met.

Should the fellow enter the second optional year of fellowship, the fellow will either expand their work with the same mentor or choose another mentor for further work in another area. General administrative support will be provided for the fellow. Department funds will be utilized to pay the tuition for the Certificate in Research Program at the Graduate School of Public Health for those electing to proceed with a second year.

In addition to gaining unparalleled education and training experience, UT MD Anderson trainees have access to exceptional resources and benefits to help them build meaningful careers and lead fulfilling lives. After graduation, fellows will have the opportunity to be recruited as Department faculty.

In addition to gaining unparalleled education and training experience, UT MD Anderson trainees have access to exceptional resources and benefits to help them build meaningful careers and lead fulfilling lives.

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 UT 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 UT 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 UT MD Anderson

UT MD Anderson’s location has many benefits, too. Our main campus is nestled inside the Texas Medical Center (TMC), 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.