Program Summary
Fellows usually elect to double board in hematology and medical oncology. Under certain circumstances, it may be prudent for the trainee to choose to single board in either hematology or medical oncology.
The first year consists of an intensive clinical experience with both inpatient and outpatient rotations. The second and third years are more flexible and are tailored to the specific needs of the individual fellows, depending upon their chosen career tracks. A continuity clinic experience is maintained throughout the fellowship. Board preparation will begin early in the fellowship with twice weekly didactic lectures, personal access to ASCO University and ASH Academy, annual opportunity for all fellows to take the in-training examination in both hematology and oncology, and dedicated board review sessions.
Research experiences abound, including basic or translational research experience within the Lineberger Cancer Center, the top-ranked Eshelman School of Pharmacy, or the McAllister Heart Institute, health policy and outcomes research with the UNC Gillings School of Public Health (ranked the top public school of public health in the nation by US News and World Report, 2016), as well as, clinical trials research. Numerous funding sources are available, and our fellows have been successful at obtaining both internal and external research awards.
Unique aspects of the UNC Hematology-Oncology fellowship training are:
- a broad exposure to non-malignant hematology in outpatient, inpatient and research settings,
- exposure to and integration of Geriatric Oncology,
- an emphasis on cancer genomics, including UNCseq, a deep-sequencing platform across a variety of malignancies with results reviewed at a weekly conference to review “actionability”,
- UNC global research and clinical site in Malawi,
- an emphasis on immunotherapy, including a new GMP facility for manufacturing CAR-T cells
- outstanding research opportunities across all areas of hematology and oncology with UNC School of Medicine ranks 5th in NIH research funding for public schools in 2020. The program is committed to fellow development, and two fellows from each class serve on the Fellows’ Education Committee, which aims to maximize the educational experience of each fellow while maintaining rigorous program academic standards.
Didactics and Conferences – Weekly Monday Divisional Conferences includes Morbidity and Mortality Rounds, Faculty Research, Case of the Month, and Schwartz Center Rounds. The Schwartz Center Rounds is a multidisciplinary forum where caregivers discuss the social, emotional, and ethical aspects of patient care. In addition, each specialty clinic has a weekly multidisciplinary conference that exemplifies the spirit of collaborative medicine at UNC. In addition, didactic sessions targeted to the fellows occur several times per week throughout fellowship and cover all aspects of hematology and oncology, including board review.