The training program in Hematology/Oncology is accredited by ACGME. The program best fits the needs of those individuals who wish to pursue a career in academic medicine. A major emphasis is on the generation and application of research information for the solution of problems in the fields of hematology and oncology. The first year is mostly clinical with subsequent two or more years devoted to basic or clinical research. Fellows who complete the three-year program will be fully prepared to enter the academic field of hematology/oncology and will satisfy all of the requirements for certification in hematology and medical oncology as recommended by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Fellows who complete a two-year program will be eligible for certification in either hematology or medical oncology. Opportunities exist for joint training in clinical pharmacology, medical ethics and geriatrics.

Training Environment

The activities of the Hematology/Oncology faculty encompass a broad range of collaborative research activities in both basic and clinical domains as well as a wide range of educational programs within the University and with community hospitals in the Chicago area. The section has been an active participant as a full member in Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB). The leadership of this large national cooperative clinical trial group is currently headquartered at The University of Chicago.

Separately staffed Hematology/Oncology inpatient services are designed and maintained to manage the multiple problems presented by the hematology or oncology patient. An inpatient consultation service is also provided.

Outpatients are seen at the Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine, a world-class facility on the medical campus, which opened in 1996. In addition to private examination rooms and physician consultation facilities, there is a fully equipped and staffed unit for outpatient transfusion and intravenous chemotherapy administration as well as an outpatient apheresis unit. The outpatient units are in operation daily, Monday through Friday, under the direction of Hematology/Oncology staff. Transfusion and chemotherapy nurses, physician assistants, and oncology nurse specialists are available as resource personnel.

Interdisciplinary research and clinical training programs have been a hallmark of The University of Chicago for many years. Within the Biological Science Division (BSD), unique interdepartmental committees are responsible for training in a variety of disciplines related to cancer, including Cancer Biology, Cell Physiology, Immunology, Genetics and Clinical Pharmacology. Within this context, many members of the section of hematology/oncology are involved in one or more interdisciplinary training programs, many of which are supported by NIH training grants. Thus, there are several major departmental units involved in our oncology research training activities. These include: 1) members of the adult section of Hematology/Oncology in the Department of Medicine; 2) members The University of Chicago Cancer Research Center who are clinicians or scientists from other basic science departments or committees involved in oncology-related research 3) faculty from the Department of Health Studies and the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars program and 4) faculty from the Maclean Center for Ethics Research.

The Hematology/Oncology Section and The University of Chicago Cancer Research Center have excellent facilities for biostatistics and data management. Oncology care is strongly supported by the Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, as well as by the Departments of Surgery, Pathology and Diagnostic Radiology. The clinical research programs are focused on very specific areas although patients with all types of hematology and oncology problems are seen on the consultation service. The individual programs function within the Section and form the nucleus of our clinical effort. All cancer programs have active radiation oncology, surgical oncology, and pathology collaborations. A combined multidisciplinary approach is utilized where indicated.

Formal training in clinical research is accomplished via several well established mechanisms on our campus and our fellows take advantage of all the resources. The Department of Health Studies conducts research on health and health care primarily through the development and application of quantitative methods in biostatistics, epidemiology, and the social sciences. Faculty from the Department of Health Studies teach formal courses in those areas to our trainees. In addition, we have a formal arrangement with the Clinical Research Training Program (CRTP) for the University and our trainees take advantage of seminar courses within this program. The CRTP is a three-track training program for clinicians or clinical researchers. The first track consists of a series of integrated weekly lectures on patient-oriented research. The second track extends the curriculum and culminates in a certificate in Clinical Research. Participants in the third track complete additional graduate-level coursework to earn a Master of Science degree.

Interdisciplinary research has been a hallmark of The University of Chicago for many years. Within the Biological Science Division (BSD), unique interdepartmental committees are responsible for training in a variety of basic science disciplines related to cancer, including Cancer Biology, Cell Physiology, Immunology, Genetics and Clinical Pharmacology. Within this context, many members of the section of hematology/oncology are involved in one or more interdisciplinary training programs, many of which are supported by NIH training grants. For a list of research opportunities, click here.

Patient Population

The majority of the patients seen by the faculty and fellows of the Section come from the metropolitan Chicago area and Northern Indiana. Approximately 3,000 new patients with malignant diseases are seen each year. The majority of these individuals are referred to and receive their primary care at this institution but a sizeable minority are referred for “opinion only.”

The clinical training program emphasizes histopathological diagnosis, accurate staging and protocol design, as well as patient care and management. Particular emphasis is given to the emotional needs and quality of life of patients and family members. The interdigitation of basic science, clinical epidemiology and behavioral research is emphasized and pursued.

Expectations of the Faculty in Regard to Fellows

The faculty is committed to basic science, clinical research, teaching, and superior medical care. Fellows are expected to participate actively in one or more of the research programs in either the laboratory or the clinic. Clinical research areas include autologous and allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, phase I, II and III drug trials of antineoplastic and chemopreventive agents as well as medical ethics and health outcomes research. The Section is one of the few programs in the country to hold both phase I and phase II cooperative agreements for the study of new chemo-therapeutic agents. Trainees are expected to publish abstracts, reviews and peer-reviewed papers in those research areas in which they participate. Our fellows have usually been successful in obtaining national research honors and awards.

Program Administration

Trainees may be accepted to the program with an M.D. degree, a twelve-month internship in internal medicine and two years of additional residency training in internal medicine. There is a clinical investigator pathway in which trainees with extensive research experience or M.D., Ph.D. degrees may be accepted after internship and one year of residency.

A. Vacations
Each fellow is allotted one month of vacation per year. This time is taken in a single block or in two, 2-week blocks and cannot be taken during an inpatient rotation or consultation service.

B. Meetings
Depending upon available funds, fellows are encouraged to attend one national meeting per year, usually in hematology or oncology. Fellows are encouraged to prepare abstracts for presentation at these meetings. Presentations or attendance at additional meetings are feasible depending on priority and available funds.

C. Support
Stipends for training may come from a number of sources. Typically these sources include the T32 Training grant in Basic Medical Oncology from the National Institutes of Health (including the Public Health Service), private funds, and funds generated from patient-care activities at The University of Chicago Medical Center.