Maimonides Medical Center Program

The Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship at Maimonides Medical Center is a fully accredited 3-year program that prepares fellows for board certification in both hematology and medical oncology. The program offers 9 positions annually and is designed to provide extensive exposure to various clinical settings, including hospital-based faculty practice, community-based private practices, and Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) practice settings. This structure allows fellows to experience diverse practice styles before completing their training.

The fellowship focuses on equipping fellows with the skills necessary to address a wide range of hematologic and oncologic diseases. Each week, fellows participate in a bio-psychosocial conference that explores complex topics such as physician-assisted suicide, ethics, hospice care, and other end-of-life concerns. Additionally, the program includes a dedicated rotation in pain and palliative care that enhances fellows' competencies when caring for terminally ill patients. Rotations in related fields, such as radiation oncology and blood banking, complement the comprehensive curriculum.

One notable feature of the program is the bone marrow transplantation rotation conducted in collaboration with Mount Sinai Medical Center, which provides fellows with formal training and clinical experience involving both allogeneic and autologous stem cell transplantation. The fellowship also emphasizes academic development through a structured series of conferences, including the Weekly Core Curriculum and Monthly (146) Educational Lectures, Journal Club, Research Seminars, and Mortality and Morbidity Conferences.

Research is a crucial element of the fellowship, with fellows expected to engage in supervised research throughout their training. Protected research time is allocated, with 1 month each in the first two years and 3 months in the final year, allowing ample opportunities for development. Every fellow is also required to conceptualize and execute an individual research project, supported at every step by a dedicated mentor. Those aspiring towards a research career will find significant backing for external funding applications.

Didactic components of the training emphasize modern topics in oncology care, including molecular biology, cellular biology, and innovative immunology techniques critical for tumor diagnosis. By the conclusion of the fellowship, participants will be well-versed in conducting clinical trials and designing as well as implementing research studies. They will gain practical experience by interacting directly with Clinical Trials and handling concrete challenges associated with patient treatment protocols.

The program is competitive and welcomes applications from both U.S. and international medical graduates. For international medical graduates or any applicants requiring visa sponsorship, the program provides support for the H1-B visa type. The application also has specific requirements, which include having completed an ACGME-accredited internal medicine residency and maintaining a proficient academic record, including a defined number of attempts on U.S. Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLE).

Fellows are selected based on a comprehensive review of their academic background, clinical experience, research involvement, and professional recommendations. The fellowship encourages diversity and inclusion and invests in the development of future leaders in medical oncology and hematology.