The University of Pittsburgh Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program is a SSO-approved Fellowship. Four fellows are accepted into the Program each year in July. Candidates must have completed an approved General Surgery Residency and be Board Eligible or Board Certified. Though prior research experience is desirable, it is not a requirement for application. The Fellowship is a two-year program with an optional third year for research.
Clinical training takes place at Presbyterian, Shadyside, Magee & Women's and Passavant Hospitals of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The clinical rotations include: GI, Liver, Mixed Tumor, Sarcoma, Thoracic, Breast/Melanoma, GYN Oncology, Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Surgical Pathology and Elective months. In addition to clinical responsibilities, fellows are expected to attend, present and moderate Tumor Boards and oncology conferences at the various institutions and attend weekly Fellows Education Conferences, and monthly Division Research Conferences. Fellows are responsible for case study and evidence-based summary presentations at the weekly Education Conference.
Research opportunity is abundant in the fellowship. Research funding is supported by over $20 million in NIH grants and the Division of Surgical Oncology is part of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Active basic research is ongoing in immunology, angiogenesis and the molecular biology of cancer. An aggressive emphasis is placed on the translation of basic research into clinical applications. Fellows are exposed to numerous on-going clinical trials, and gain invaluable experience in the conceptualization, implementation and conduct of clinical studies. All fellows are expected to be involved in the design, write-up and conduct of a clinical trial during the Fellowship.
Beginning in 2007, the Division will institute an innovative subspecialty tracking curricula for incoming fellows. Four main tracks will be implemented: hepatobiliary, GI-minimally invasive, clinical science and basic science. All fellows will rotate through the same core rotations. Fellows accepted into the hepatobiliary and minimally invasive tracks (2-year tracks) will spend the last 9 months of the second year immersed in their respective disciplines. The fellow accepted into the clinical science track (2-year track) will be responsible for the conduct of a clinical trial and enrolled in graduate coursework towards a Certificate in Clinical Research in the second year. During the course work period, the clinical research fellow will also serve as the second fellow on Dr. Bartlett's Mixed Tumor Service. The basic science track is a 3-year track, in which the designated fellow will first spend time in clinical training, followed by 18-months of mentored basic research. This track is designed for individuals whose academic goal includes a component of basic research and offers the individual with unique protected time for research which the fellow can transfer directly into his/her first academic position upon completion of the fellowship.
Overall, the strength of The University of Pittsburgh Surgical Oncology Fellowship is two-fold. There is tremendous breadth of clinical experience in general oncology, while regional therapy and minimally invasive surgery are widely utilized in the surgical approach of cancer. Secondly, the Division of Surgical Oncology is at the forefront of immunotherapy and gene therapy. We expect that fellows completing our Program will be competitive for academic positions, as well as, extremely competent in community practices.
