Program Director

Associate Program Director, Hematology

Overview

The Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program at the University of Miami’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Jackson Memorial Hospital prepares academically oriented physicians to become leaders in research, advanced clinical educators and outstanding clinicians.

Our ACGME accredited fellowship program offers 15 positions through the NRMP match and includes 18 months of clinical rotations over a 36 month fellowship resulting in all fellows to be eligible to board in Hematology and Oncology. The remainder of time is distributed among research time (clinical/translational research) and elective rotations tailored to each fellows professional goals. With world-class research and clinical faculty and facilities, we are able to provide our fellows with unique experiences to become experts and leaders in their chosen domains. We ensure adequate protected time to allow those who chose so to build a foundation for a strong academic career.

We also offer 1 position every year for research oriented fellows to pursue training through a Physician Scientist Training Pathway. Fellows enter this program via the Internal Medicine residency match and join Hematology/Oncology fellowship after completing two years of residency. During a 48 month fellowship, fellows will have 36 months of protected time for research and upon completion, be eligible for single boarding in either Hematology or Oncology.

The Hematology/Oncology fellowship program offers a broad exposure to hematologic and oncologic diseases in the in-patient and outpatient settings at three allied institutions: University of Miami Hospital, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Jackson Memorial Hospital.

Application Information

Applications are accepted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)

Requirements

The Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Training Program at Jackson Health Systems selects fellows through the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). All fellowship applicants should have completed an ACGME-accredited internal medicine program. All applicants must submit their applications via ERAS. U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or physicians under J-1 (exchange visitor program) can apply to our fellowship program. We are unable to sponsor H-1B Visas.

Program Structure

The first year of fellowship is spent on clinical rotations in malignant hematology, classical hematology and solid tumor oncology. Fellows spend approximately 6 months on inpatient consultative services with the remaining six months divided between:

• Cellular Therapy/Bone Marrow Transplantation
• Radiation Oncology
• Hematologic Pathology
• Leukemia
• Lymphoma/Myeloma
• Subspecialty Solid Tumor Electives (Breast, Genitourinary, Thoracic, Melanoma, Head and Neck, Sarcoma, GI etc)

The final two years of fellowship are designed to be highly flexible based on the fellows’ interests. Each year includes 10 weeks of inpatient consultative service. Fellows are encouraged to spend the rest of their time in clinical research pursuits. Representative opportunities available to the fellows include time in a basic science laboratory, a robust translational and Phase 1 clinical trials program, curriculum development and teaching medical students, and training in quality improvement initiatives amongst others.

One of the most valued and unique aspects of our training program is the fellow run continuity clinic at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Clinic days are divided by subspecialty area and each fellow completes one continuity clinic per year for the duration of their fellowship. With attending oversight, fellows are able to experience true ownership and responsibility for their patients and, we believe, learn more from this experience.

Education

Fellows receive formal teaching through lectures, conferences and clinical rounds. Highlights of our educational offering include:

Mandatory Core Curriculum Friday: The day begins with hematology/oncology grand rounds and is followed by 2-3 lectures from faculty and distinguished guests covering core topics as well as updates and breakthroughs in science.

Classical Hematology or Myeloma noon conference: Every Friday at noon, fellows present challenging cases to senior hematology faculty (alternate weeks classical hematology and myeloma) over lunch.

Design and Management of Cancer Clinical Trials Course: This course, modeled after the AACR-ASCO Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Workshop, teaches basic research concepts and principles that underlie the design and day-to-day conduct of cancer clinical trials. Fellows have protected time to attend as it occurs during our regularly scheduled Core Curriculum.

Sub-specialty Tumor Boards: Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center offers multiple specialized multi-disciplinary tumor boards during which fellows are encouraged to present cases from their continuity clinics or present cases on behalf of their attendings/mentors.

Molecular Tumor Board: Twice monthly, fellows and attendings present clinical cases with molecular diagnostics accompanied by PhD students who provide an in depth presentation of the involved pathways.

Grant Writing Workshops and support from the Writing Center.

Data Analytics Workshops offered throughout the year through the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Mentoring

First year fellows are assigned a designated faculty advisor at the start of their first year. This advisor will meet with them at least quarterly during the first year and bi-annually after that. The designated faculty advisor will help the fellow pick elective rotations, evaluate the fellow’s progress during the first year, assist the fellow with developing an educational plan for the second and third year of fellowship and facilitate the matching of the fellow with a clinical or research mentor based on the fellow’s interests and goals.

Contact

Aisha Washington
Program Manager
Phone: 305-243-7067
Email: Awashington@med.miami.edu