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History
Faculty
Goals
Program Structure
Training Record
Fellowship Funding
Research Opportunities
Fellowship Awards and Honors
Resources and Links
Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program
Tufts Medical Center’s Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program is an
ACGME accredited program that provides training in all aspects of hematology and oncology.
The Division of Hematology and Oncology emphasizes clinical instruction and research training in an academic environment.
The principal training experience is a three-year program that combines training in the fields of hematology and oncology and prepares physicians for careers in academic medicine.
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The first year of the program is devoted to clinical training in Hematology and Oncology within a comprehensive ambulatory setting.
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The second and third years emphasize research training, along with a continuation of specialty clinical work, including bone marrow transplantation and in-patient consultation services.
On the basis of an integrated three-year training program in hematology and oncology, almost all of the trainees elect to become board-certified in both sub-specialties.
The Chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology and the Program Directors are responsible for the fellowship program.
Richard A. Van Etten, M.D., Ph.D.
Chief, Division of Hematology/Oncology
Director, Tufts Medical Center Cancer Center
Gary Strauss, M.D., MPH.
Medical Director, Lung Cancer Program
Director, Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program
Rachel J. Buchsbaum, M.D.
Associate Director, Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program
Andreas K. Klein, M.D.
Clinical Director, Lymphoma and Myeloma Programs
Associate Director, Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program
How to Apply
The Division of Hematology/Oncology at Tufts Medical Center was established in the 1940’s by
William Dameshek, MD
, founder of the American Society of Hematology, first editor of its journal
Blood
, and one of the world’s preeminent hematologists. The Division provides comprehensive hematology and oncology training to fellows in the training program.
Over 60 years, the fellowship program has trained hundreds of hematologists and oncologists from throughout the United States and overseas who are currently practicing in these specialties and/or themselves leading major Divisions, Research Centers, or Training Programs. Since 1978 when the Divisions of Hematology and Oncology merged, the combined fellowship has accepted on average 5 fellows per year from over 200-300 applicants annually. The Division’s training program provides rigorous clinical training as well as the opportunity for broad exposure to basic laboratory research or experience in clinical research.
The Tufts Medical Center Cancer Center includes the faculty in the Division of Hematology/Oncology as well as physicians and researchers from other divisions of Tufts Medical Center.
In addition, faculty from Tufts University School of Medicine , the Tufts University Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, and the Tufts Medical Center Molecular Oncology Research Institute play an active role in fellowship training.
A complete list of faculty along with curriculum vitae can be found here.
The primary educational goals for fellows in the Fellowship Training program in Hematology-Oncology are to:
1.
Develop clinical expertise in the management of patients with hematologic and/or oncologic diseases in order to be able to pass certifying examinations in Hematology and Medical Oncology and to practice at the level of an independent subspecialist, and
2.
Develop an understanding of the scientific process underlying biomedical research in the field of Hematology-Oncology.
Educational experiences supporting the fellow’s achievement of the first goal include clinical rotations through the Ambulatory Clinics, Bone Marrow Transplant service, and Hematology-Oncology Consult service at Tufts Medical Center, a rotation through the Hematology-Oncology service at the Lahey Clinic, and active participation in the didactic sessions and conferences of the Tufts Division of Hematology-Oncology.
Educational experiences supporting the fellow’s achievement of the second goal include the planning and execution of a mentored research project, attendance and participation in relevant research conferences, and presentation of independent research in institutional and extramural forums.
Program Structure
The Hematology/Oncology Fellowship is a 3 year combined program that provides comprehensive training in benign and malignant hematology, hemostasis and thrombosis, blood banking and laboratory medicine, bone marrow transplantation and solid tumor malignancies.
The first year of the program consists of an immersive clinical experience in our outpatient hematology and oncology center.
This consists of 6 continuity clinics divided equally into 3 hematology-based and 3 oncology-based subspecialties. These continuity clinics provide experiences in general benign and malignant hematology, as well as lung, breast, gastrointestinal, and head and neck oncology.
In addition, rotations in several subspecialty clinics provide experiences in brain tumors, breast diseases, genitourinary oncology, gynecologic oncology, and plasma cell disorders and amyloidosis..
During the first year fellows also complete 2 month rotations at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA.
This rotation provides exposure to a community oncology practice in a multi=disci;linary setting.
The second and third years of the program consist primarily of fellow research activities.
The training program has always emphasized the importance of basic science and clinical research training, and has a long track record of scientific publication and awards.
Of the 24 months that make up the second and third year, 18 months are dedicated to mentored research activity.
The remaining 6 months represent further clinical training in bone marrow transplantation and hematology/oncology inpatient consultation.
One half day per week is reserved for the fellow’s continuity clinic experience, and several additional subspecialty clinics are available including sarcoma/rare tumor clinic and liver tumor clinic.
Elective time is reserved for additional clinical experience at the trainees request and program directors approval.
At the completion of the training program, fellows are eligible to sit for internal medicine subspecialty certification board exams in both hematology and medical oncology.
Training Record
The Division of Hematology/Oncology prepares physicians for careers in academic medicine, and promotes the combination of clinically-based activities with laboratory research. Over the past 15 years, over 75 postdoctoral fellows have completed this program. A recent analysis of the performance of the program has shown that of the physicians trained, approximately 83% remain in academic medicine and 12% are engaged in private practice. Of the total trainees, about half (46%) are engaged in research activities as Principal Investigators of grants from the National Institutes of Health.
Recent graduates of the fellowship program have received faculty appointments at several of the nation’s leading cancer centers, including Tufts Medical Center, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, City of Hope Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, University of Chicago, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Ohio State, Case Western Reserve University and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.
The length of research training varies with the individual, but trainees devote at least 18 months to laboratory research or clinical investigation. The research topic is selected by mutual agreement between the fellow and the faculty mentor who will supervise the fellow's training.
In addition to the fellowship program, the Hematology/Oncology Division trains approximately five interns and residents per month, plus third- and fourth-year medical students on the combined inpatient and outpatient services. Each summer, the Division also supports education for many students through a summer research program.
Fellows are encouraged to enroll in graduate courses in the Tufts University Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, which provide a formal, didactic supplement to their research experience.
The Hematology/Oncology course for second-year medical students offered at Tufts University School of Medicine is taught by the faculty from the Division of Hematology/Oncology, and is nationally recognized as one of the most innovative and comprehensive for medical students.
Stipends for the first year clinical fellows are assured by Tufts Medical Center. Support for eligible research fellows is derived from an NIH training grant in Oncology from the National Cancer Institute (4 positions per year). Fellowships from the National Institutes of Health (National Research Service Award) and private foundations serve an important role in funding advanced research fellows. At the present time, the Division supplements the NIH stipends in order to establish a base salary that is commensurate with experience and living costs in the Boston area.
In addition, fellows with prior research experience are encouraged to apply for Physician Scientist Awards and Clinical Investigator Awards from the NIH. A large number of Tufts Medical Center fellows have successfully competed for these awards. The Division provides assistance and encouragement for fellows to apply for independent funding in their research years.
Research Opportunities
Participation in research activities is an important part of the fellowship training program at
Tufts
Medical
Center
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An NIH-sponsored oncology training grant provides funding for basic and clinical research training in the second and third year of the fellowship program.
Fellows are expected to identify a research project and a research mentor before the end of the first year.
The research mentor also serves as the head of the research committee for their particular project.
Research mentors are not restricted to the division of hematology and oncology and may include researchers throughout the Tufts campus, including those in the Molecular Oncology Research Institute, the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Science, and the Friedman School of Nutritional Science and Policy.
Faculty members from other divisions within the
Cancer
Center
have also served as research mentors for fellowship research projects.
During their research experience, fellows meet regularly with their mentor as well as their research committee.
Fellows are expected to present their research regularly in both formal and informal settings.
This includes presentations to their research groups, to the entire division at the end of the second year and an invitation to present at Cancer Center Grand Rounds at the end of the third year.
Hematology/Oncology fellows at Tufts Medical Center have regularly been recognized for their outstanding research contributions by leading national organizations. Examples of recent grants and awards received by our trainees include:
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The 2000 American Society of Hematology Scholar Award was received by Suzanne Jacques-O’Hagan, PhD for herwork on Molecular Strategies for Modulation of Thrombin-PAR Interactions.
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The 2001 ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group
)
/Janssen/Ortho Biotech Young Investigator Award received by Joyce Talavera, MD for her work on Protease Activated Receptor and Cancer.
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The 2002, ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group
)
/Janssen/Ortho-Biotech Young Investigator Award, was received by Patrick Ma, MD, PhD for his research on Tyrosine Kinase activity in small cell lung cancer. Dr. Ma was also awarded the ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology
)
Young Investigator Award.
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In 2003, an abstract submitted by Kevin Chin, MD on novel therapeutics for T-cell lymphomas was cited as an outstanding submission by a Fellow and selected for oral presentation at the American Society of Hematology meeting.
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Geoff Chan, MD received an award for the outstanding paper of 2003
submitted to Biology of Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation.
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In 2003, an abstract submitted by Eric Winer, MD on his research on a mouse model of CML received an ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology
)
Merit Award.
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In 2006, an abstract submitted by Hande Tuncer, MD on her research on expansion of human cord blood derived NK cells was cited as a top submission to the American Society of Hematology and selected for oral presentation at the International Umbilical Cord Transplantation Symposium.
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The 2007 ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group)/Janseen/Ortho Biotech Young Investigator Award was received by James Weitzman, MD for his research on monoclonal antibodies and NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity in CLL.
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In 2007 Dr. Virginia Zaleskas received a Pathway to Independence Award from the NIH for her work on the molecular pathogenesis of myeloproliferative disease.
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In 2008 Dr. Christina Baik received awards from the Lung Cancer Research Foundation and the CHEST Foundation for her work on reproductive factors, hormone use and risk of lung cancer in women.
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