Top Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Programs 2014-2015

[Happy Bird]

After completing a very length interview process for hematology-oncology fellowship programs, I'd like to share my opinions about the strongest programs out there for future applicants. I would add as a disclaimer that the "best" decision regarding choice of fellowship program is not based on US News rankings (or any rankings on these forums for that matter), but ultimately on your personal situation (specific research interests, family preferences for location, proximity to extended family, cost of living, vibe that you got at the interview, weather, etc........)

Tier 1a: These programs are leaders both as referral centers and as research institutions (this is in no particular order, as they are all exceptional):

Memorial Sloan Kettering
MD Anderson
Dana Farber
NCI / NIH

Tier 1b: These are also top programs:

West Coast: USCF, University of Washington
Midwest: Wash U, University of Michigan, Mayo Clinic, University of Chicago, Northwestern
Southern: Duke, Vanderbilt, Moffitt
Northeast: BIDMC, Yale
Mid-Atlantic: UPenn, Hopkins, Columbia, Cornell, Fox Chase

Tier 2-3: Not "top" programs, but programs which are still very strong clinically and in research (to varying degrees):

West Coast: USCD, UCLA, Stanford, OHSU (Oregon)
Midwest: Ohio State University, Cleveland Clinic, Case Western, University of Wisconsin, UPMC (this is not entirely east coast or midwest), University of Minnesota
Southern: UNC, Emory, UVA, University of Alabama, Wake Forest, Baylor, UTSW
Northeast: Tufts, Dartmouth, Brown, Boston University, Roswell Park
Mid-Atlantic: Thomas Jefferson, University of Maryland, Mount Sinai, NYU, UMDNJ, Georgetown

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[darkelven29]

Anyone know which of these programs have masters of science or other clinical research degree built into them? or which ones don't? The websites are helpful for some for but not for others...

After completing a very length interview process for hematology-oncology fellowship programs, I'd like to share my opinions about the strongest programs out there for future applicants. I would add as a disclaimer that the "best" decision regarding choice of fellowship program is not based on US News rankings (or any rankings on these forums for that matter), but ultimately on your personal situation (specific research interests, family preferences for location, proximity to extended family, cost of living, vibe that you got at the interview, weather, etc........)

Tier 1a: These programs are leaders both as referral centers and as research institutions (this is in no particular order, as they are all exceptional):

Memorial Sloan Kettering
MD Anderson
Dana Farber
NCI / NIH

Tier 1b: These are also top programs:

West Coast: USCF, University of Washington
Midwest: Wash U, University of Michigan, Mayo Clinic, University of Chicago, Northwestern
Southern: Duke, Vanderbilt, Moffitt
Northeast: BIDMC, Yale
Mid-Atlantic: UPenn, Hopkins, Columbia, Cornell, Fox Chase

Tier 2-3: Not "top" programs, but programs which are still very strong clinically and in research (to varying degrees):

West Coast: USCD, UCLA, Stanford, OHSU (Oregon)
Midwest: Ohio State University, Cleveland Clinic, Case Western, University of Wisconsin, UPMC (this is not entirely east coast or midwest), University of Minnesota
Southern: UNC, Emory, UVA, University of Alabama, Wake Forest, Baylor, UTSW
Northeast: Tufts, Dartmouth, Brown, Boston University, Roswell Park
Mid-Atlantic: Thomas Jefferson, University of Maryland, Mount Sinai, NYU, UMDNJ, Georgetown

 

[Happy Bird]

Hi darkeleven29! So many fellowship programs offered the opportunity to attain higher degrees-- I would say almost half of the programs at which I interviewed. Here are some of them that I can remember off the top of my head: Vanderbilt, Memorial Sloan Kettering (The Certificate Program in Clinical Investigation (CPCI)), Columbia University, UNC, UVA (they allow one of three fellows per year to do the Master of Science in Clinical Investigation), University of Chicago, Duke, University of Michigan, etc... The real list is much longer and I'm sure I'm forgetting many out there.

Some programs have also supported their fellows to obtain PhD's, which of course takes some extra years of dedicated laboratory work and coursework (Hopkins and University of Maryland are the two that I can think of off the top of my head).

 

[SwineLake98]

Hi darkeleven29! So many fellowship programs offered the opportunity to attain higher degrees-- I would say almost half of the programs at which I interviewed. Here are some of them that I can remember off the top of my head: Vanderbilt, Memorial Sloan Kettering (The Certificate Program in Clinical Investigation (CPCI)), Columbia University, UNC, UVA (they allow one of three fellows per year to do the Master of Science in Clinical Investigation), University of Chicago, Duke, University of Michigan, etc... The real list is much longer and I'm sure I'm forgetting many out there.

Some programs have also supported their fellows to obtain PhD's, which of course takes some extra years of dedicated laboratory work and coursework (Hopkins and University of Maryland are the two that I can think of off the top of my head).

Yale offers a PhD in Clinical Investigation, I believe. Harvard has a number of courses, including a 2-year Masters program.

 

[Crazyazy]

Does anyone have any insight on which are the most well-regarded programs that focus less on research and more on clinical? I'm assuming those would be programs that don't require as much research. Maybe the OP eluded to it with the Tier 2-3 programs?

 

[jowens817]

Is this still a current list? Asking for a friend

 

[whoknows2012]

Is this still a current list? Asking for a friend

Quick perusal suggests it’s still a reasonable assessment

 

[bobbyknightranger]

.

 

[Hematologynerd]

I feel lists like these are so arbitrary. Each program has its unique strengths and weaknesses. But ALL of the programs listed above will provide great training and get you where you want to go

 

[whoknows2012]

Posting an update with some modifications from the list above to reflect the current state of play and their standing as academic/research institutions

Tier 1:
North East: MSKCC, DFCI/MGH/BWH, Hopkins, NIH/NCI, Penn
Midwest: Mayo Rochester, Cleveland Clinic
West: Fred Hutch
South: MDACC, Moffitt

Tier 2:
North East: UPMC, Roswell Park, Columbia, Yale, Fox Chase
Midwest: U Chicago, Wash U, OSU, Michigan
West: Stanford, UCSF, UCLA, City of Hope
South: Duke, Vanderbilt

Tier 3:
North East: NYU, BIDMC, Jefferson, Dartmouth, Georgetown
Midwest: Northwestern, U Wisconsin, Case Western, Indiana U, Karmanos
West: OHSU, UCSD, U Colorado, Mayo Arizona
South: UNC, Emory

Tier 4:
North East: BU, Tufts, Cornell, Mount Sinai, Montefiore, Rutgers, U Maryland
Midwest: U Nebraska, U Iowa, U Minnesota, Rush, UIC
West: UC Davis, USC, UC Irvine, Utah
South: UVA, MUSC, Miami/Jackson, Mayo Jacksonville, U Kentucky, UAB, UTSW

this is a) incredibly arbitrary
b) random
c) useless

 

[gutonc]

this is a) incredibly arbitrary
b) random
c) useless

d) laughable

 

[DoctorDontStop]

d) laughable

e) elitist

 

[mestre_dc]

@gutonc , I can see no one is putting UTHSCSA on these lists. Is it as good as UTSW for example?

 

[gutonc]

@gutonc , I can see no one is putting UTHSCSA on these lists. Is it as good as UTSW for example?

It's a fine program. It's not a "Top X" program but whatever. I just hired one of their recent grads and she is phenomenal.

 

[mestre_dc]

It's a fine program. It's not a "Top X" program but whatever. I just hired one of their recent grads and she is phenomenal.

Thanks!