In the Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship, trainees complete a three-year curriculum that features scheduled didactic sessions (four or more per week), including basic science, grand rounds and clinical case conferences.
Competencies & Requirements
The curriculum integrates the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education competencies (patient care, procedural skills, medical knowledge, practice-based learning, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism and system-based learning practices). In year 2, fellows will have an opportunity to conduct a cancer-related project in translational science, cancer prevention, health services or clinical research. During the three-year curriculum, the following requirements for fellows are outlined by the ACGME:
- A minimum of 12 months must be devoted to clinical experience.
- Nine months must be in medical oncology.
- At least 50% of the medical oncology clinical experience must occur in the outpatient setting.
- The program must provide at least one month of clinical experience in autologous and allogenic bone marrow transplantation.
- Participation in training using simulation.
- Participation in a continuous ambulatory clinic experience (half-day clinic per week).
- Participation in scholarly activities including publication of articles, book chapters, abstracts or case presentations in peer-reviewed journals.
Year 1
- Inpatient hematology and oncology consult at Dell Seton Medical Center (6 months).
- Content: Hematologic malignancies and solid tumor initial diagnosis and treatment complications.
- Outpatient Livestrong Cancer Institutes clinic at UT Health Austin (Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin affiliate) (2 months).
- Content: gastrointestinal cancers, breast cancer, head and neck cancer, heme malignancies, lung cancer and surgical oncology.
- Outpatient Seton Specialty Center at Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin (4 months).
- Content: genitourinary cancers, lung cancer, sarcoma, breast cancer, benign and malignant hematology.
- Meet with faculty to identify research project.
Year 2
- Outpatient Livestrong Cancer Institutes Clinic at UT Health Austin (Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin affiliate) (3 months).
- Content: GI cancers, breast cancer, head and neck cancer, heme malignancies, lung cancer and surgical oncology.
- Outpatient Seton Specialty Center at Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin (4 months) .
- Content: GU cancers, lung cancer, sarcoma, breast cancer, benign and malignant hematology.
- Inpatient palliative care consults at Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin (1 month).
- Content: GU Cancers, lung cancer, sarcoma, breast cancer, benign and malignant hematology.
- Bone marrow transplant off-site at Texas Transplant in San Antonio (1 month)
- Radiation oncology and neuro-oncology, off-site at Austin Cancer Center (0.5 month).
- Content: Solid tumors.
- Diagnostic oncology at Dell Seton Medical Center (0.5 month).
- Content: Interventional radiology and pathology.
- Dedicated research time at Livestrong Cancer Institutes at UT Health Austin/Dell Medical School and Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin affiliate (2 months).
Year 3
- Clinics and research at Livestrong Cancer Institutes at UT Health Austin/Dell Medical School (ASMCA affiliate) (12 months).
- One half-day per week in subspecialty clinic of fellows’ choice, one half day continuity clinic, one full day hematology clinic and three days for research.
More Details
During the three-year fellowship, fellows rotate through disease subspecialty clinics (gastrointestinal, gynecological oncology, lung cancer, head and neck cancer, myeloma and breast cancer), as well as the Ascension Seton Infusion Center, with general medical oncology patients.
Inpatient exposure consists of participating in consult teams at Dell Seton Medical Center, which will result in expedited consultation and enhanced coordination of care. In addition, fellows will present clinical conferences to faculty, residents and medical students, further enhancing the academic environment.
Fellows have supervisory roles while on the resident-run inpatient consultation, which further enhances resident and medical student education. All fellows will be involved in a self-directed research project as well as quality improvement projects. These are specifically designed to positively impact the health system and patient care, and further research.
Fellows will also have the opportunity to conduct translational, clinical, prevention or health services research with outstanding faculty throughout The University of Texas at Austin and Dell Medical School campuses.