Hematology and Oncology Fellowship Program

The MedStar Health - Georgetown University Hospital Fellowship Program in Hematology and Oncology

The mission of the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program, housed at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, is to provide a balanced program of clinical training and research experience in order to develop the best clinicians and investigators in the country.

Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center faculty members oversee each fellow’s training experience. Members’ patient and research load is structured so that they and fellows can have extensive one-on-one contact. Significant emphasis also is placed on ongoing educational opportunities in which members and fellows work together to explore and resolve clinical problems.

Faculty members also work in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and are responsible for care of all hematology/oncology patients. All Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center members who participate in the training program are full-time Georgetown University faculty.

 

Why train here

Georgetown’s Hematology and Oncology Fellowship Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) for subspecialty training and offers a three-year program leading to eligibility for both subspecialty certifying examinations.

Our fellows flourish in an atmosphere of excellence in both clinical care and cutting edge clinical and basic research. Fellows spend about half of their clinical time during fellowship in a disease-specific clinic setting, and are expected to present frequently on topics of interest. In this setting, with an understanding of the mechanisms that underlie cancer development and drug activity, fellows acquire a solid foundation for patient care as well as for the integration of future developments in patient care.

The graduates of our program have entered all areas of hematology and medical oncology. About half of our fellows enter private practice, and half pursue an academic career. Some graduates have also entered government or industry. The division has also developed the career of some of its fellows by appointment to the Georgetown faculty.

 

Curriculum

The Clinical Training Program

Georgetown’s fellowship training program offers clinical training to prepare fellows for certification as follows:

The first year of clinical training for medical oncology and hematology fellows is focused on an in-depth clinical experience that integrates the fellows into the primary care of the division’s patients. The weekly outpatient schedule is divided into disease-specific clinics, which are attended by faculty with expertise in these diseases. The outpatient clinics are a major focus for clinical teaching. During patient visits, faculty members and fellows review patient management, disease response, and treatment selection. An integrated approach to patient management is stressed, including coordination of care with research nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, and other disciplines, as indicated.

Additionally, from the onset of first year, fellows are assigned a mentor. This mentor works with the fellow to hone in on a career focus (research or clinical), guiding them through the fellowship to ensure the fellow is an expert in that focus by the end of the three years. Regardless of this focus, all fellows will be involved in a scholarly project (e.g., writing a review, protocol development) during their first year.

The second year of fellowship is divided between clinical and research time. Clinically, fellows will continue to grow in their mastery of clinical hematology and oncology. They will also have dedicated months free of clinical duties to focus on projects that they have developed with their mentor and other faculty members.

The third year schedule varies, depending upon the fellow’s future goals. Those intending to pursue an academic career use this year to focus on their research projects. Those intending on entering practice spend additional time in the various, disease-specific clinics.

 

Application information

We are pleased to inform you that the two Hematology/Oncology fellowship programs sponsored by the MedStar Health GME Consortium (the Georgetown University and Washington Hospital Center programs) have merged under the program ID# 1551012148. For the upcoming match, we will be entering a quota of six (6) fellows under the aforementioned program ID number.

This merger creates a larger program that optimizes clinical experiences and expands education and research opportunities. Both hospitals have large cancer centers with complementary experiences: MedStar Georgetown University Hospital has phase 1 trials, very active hematology malignancy groups (cellular therapy, leukemia, and lymphoma group), and offers subspecialty oncology care. Additionally, the relationship with Georgetown University School of Medicine provides teaching opportunities and faculty appointments for fellows. Combined research between Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and MedStar Health’s Research Institute offers a broad range of research opportunities from basic science labs, bench-top and clinical-translational research. MedStar Washington Hospital Center is a large urban hospital with a Level 1 trauma center, the region’s burn center, and a heart and vascular hub. The large cancer center provides a full range of oncology services. Fellows have significant exposure to sickle cell disease and complex coagulation issues. The patient population is extremely diverse, thus allowing for clinical exposure and learning ranging from “bread and butter” oncology experiences to the most complex patients. Significant opportunities to engage in all levels of research, from the bench to the bedside, in addition to a focus on research in racial disparities. After the first eighteen months of clinical experiences, fellows have the option to choose from unique training tracks that align with clinical practice and research goals.

We are excited about the integration of these two programs as it will lead to a stronger fellowship program. The combined faculty is unparalleled in terms of expertise and diversity. We look forward to discussing this further on interview day. Our website information is not yet updated but we anticipate this will occur mid-late September.

How to Apply through ERAS

Applications for the Hematology/Medical Oncology Fellowship Program are only accepted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). ERAS is an internet-based applications process developed by the Association of American Medical Colleges to transmit fellowship applications, letters of recommendation, Program Director letters, medical transcripts and other supporting credentials from applicants, residency programs and medical schools to fellowship program directors using the Internet. For information about the process or to register for ERAS on the web, please go to www.aamc.org/eras.

Board eligibility in Internal Medicine is required prior to starting fellowship. This typically requires current enrollment or completion of a 3-year residency in Internal Medicine in the United States.

The following materials must be submitted through ERAS no later than August 6th:

  1. ERAS application
  2. Curriculum vitae (ERAS format is acceptable)
  3. Personal statement
  4. Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) or “Dean’s letter”
  5. Three letters of recommendation, including one from Residency Program Director
  6. Medical school transcript
  7. USMLE Step 1 scores
  8. USMLE Step 2 scores

The deadline for applications for the July 2024 cycle is August 6, 2023.
Interview invitations will be granted on a rolling basis. Please note that all interviews will be done virtually this year.


VISA POLICY: J1 visas are sponsored through MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. We currently do not have the ability to sponsor H1B visas.

 

Contact us

For additional information on the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program, please contact:

Mary Jennings Butler
Fellowship Administrator

Division of Hematology/Oncology
Georgetown University
Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, 2nd floor, Podium D
3800 Reservoir Road NW
Washington, DC 20007

Email: Mary.B.JenningsButler@medstar.net