Hematology and Oncology Fellowship Program

We are excited to announce we have been invited to join the American Society of Hematology’s newly formed Hematology Focused Fellowship Training Program Consortium. The aim of the program is to strengthen the next generation of hematologists by providing up-front training in classical hematology as well as malignant hematology and bone marrow transplant. In the latter half of fellowship fellows may choose to focus on a specific research project and additional oncology training can be added during this time for those would like to be boarded in both hematology and oncology.  Fellows in this program will also be able to participate in specific ASH HFFTP networking opportunities. 

Applicants interested in the UC Davis HFFTP should select the Hematology-Focused Track in ERAS and should reach out directly to program leadership (jmfpeterson@ucdavis.edu).   

All fellows are provided access to CellaVision which utilizes high-speed robotics and digital imaging to automatically locate and capture high quality images of cells. We utilize this program when reviewing blood smears which can be done remotely. Bonnie Bone Marrow Biopsy virtual simulator is used to teach trainees how to perform a bone marrow biopsy, all fellows train with faculty supervision during orientation and throughout the year.

First year fellows have a half day continuity clinic experience at the VA (First year fellows will also rotate through different subspeciality clinics at the UC Davis Cancer Center (8 weeks each).

In the second and third year, the fellow will have their own continuity clinic at UC Davis Cancer Center (one half-day/week) which includes their own patient panel and case manager. This is a great way for fellows to develop autonomy and build relationships with their patients (who view them as their hematologist and oncologist)while still under the supervision of an attending physician.

All fellows are expected and encouraged to pursue scholarly work and are provided guided mentorship by faculty. Our Division has ample opportunities to pursue projects in outcomes research, clinical trials and gene and cellular therapy. Many fellows present their work at the ASH and ASCO annual meeting in addition to other subspecialty meetings and many projects have resulted in publications in high impact journals. Trainees may also choose to participate in the Mentored Clinical Research Training Program (MCRTP). The course includes a two-year curriculum with a core in epidemiology, biostatistics, clinical research and clinical trial design, research ethics, informatics, and a mentored research project. Participation leads to a Masters in Clinical Research.

There are also opportunities for funded translational research and to pursue a fellowship in cellular therapy. The Hematology and Oncology Division has allocated $100,000 to support fellow research. Fellows may apply for this funding through a formalized application and will be reviewed by the Research Committee. Fellows may use the above internal funds for material or statistical support as well as to cover the costs of attending academic conferences to present their scholarly work. This is in addition to the already guaranteed travel and education stipend provided to all fellows annually.

The UC Davis Division of Hematology and Oncology is committed to improving Diversity, Equity and Inclusion within the field of medicine. A holistic admissions process is a top priority for our fellowship program. All faculty undergo culture competence training (Supporting Educational Excellence in Diversity) and a DEI task force is committed to improving recruitment and retention of diverse scholars to our institution.

Maintaining wellness is an important goal of ours. To achieve this goal, we have a tradition of an Annual Fellows Retreat in Sonoma, CA.  In addition to our Hematology and Oncology fellows, we invite fellows from Gynecology Oncology and Palliative Care, along with residents from Radiation Oncology, to attend the retreat. This allows our fellows the opportunity to reflect on their experiences with their peers in a multi-disciplinary environment. We also organize an alumni fellows panel to discuss potential career paths. The annual retreat lends an important dimension to our program which is one-of-a-kind in the country.  Even in the pandemic, we have continued to host this retreat virtually and found it to be an effective element to educate our fellows and provide an additional wellness resource in this evolving environment.