Indiana University School of Medicine recently launched a new 3-year gynecologic oncology fellowship program that will prepare physicians in diagnosing and treating patients during their cancer journey, including consultation, surgery, chemotherapy and palliative care. The program, located in Indianapolis, was approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education in February and is the only gynecologic oncology fellowship in Indiana. Applications are currently being accepted for the fellowship that will begin August 2026. The deadline for applications is April 7.
Fellows will complete two years of clinical training and one year of research. Clinical years will be assigned to the first and third year at one of three locations, including Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Eskenazi Health and the IU Health Joe & Shelly Schwarz Cancer Center at IU Health North Hospital, where fellows will gain experience working on laparoscopic, robotic and complex surgical cases.
The second year dedicated to research provides fellows an opportunity to gain experience in clinical trial development and execution as well as professional development in authoring publications and presenting research. With immersion at a National Cancer Institute designated Cancer Center, selected GynOnc fellows can work alongside some of the best oncologists in the country and plug into a professional network that is respected nationally and internationally.
Providing comprehensive treatment
“We’re the only oncology field that does the full spectrum of patient care from diagnosis to treatment, including surgery and chemotherapy, and usually, we do most of our own end of life care,” said Sharon E. Robertson, MD, PhD, assistant professor of clinical obstetrics & gynecology and director of the Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program. “We serve as a central hub of gynecologic oncology care for the whole state. If the cases are too complex to be done elsewhere, specialists often refer complex surgical cases to us for all the resources and expertise we have here – at the IU Simon Cancer Center.”
Gynecologic oncologists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of the reproductive system, including cervical cancer, fallopian tube cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, vaginal cancer and vulvar cancer, addressing both cancerous and noncancerous conditions. These specialists have a broad surgical and medical expertise and work closely with a variety of specialists to develop and execute a comprehensive treatment plan.
“GynOnc fellows are key players in the tripartite medical mission. They deliver exceptional patient care, contribute meaningful research and provide medical education to our residents and students.,” said Anthony L. Shanks, MD, the William H. & Sally E. Coleman Professor of Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology and vice chair of education for the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at IU School of Medicine. “There is a great need to provide these services to our community and having this fellowship ensures that we can continue to develop and cultivate this important aspect of our workforce.”
The IU Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program is led by five faculty, including Zenas Chang, MD, Lisa Landrum, MD, PhD, Erin M. Lips, MD, Jessica E. Parker, MD and Robertson.
The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology also offers fellowships in Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery and Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery.
Living in Indianapolis
“I did my training in a lot of different places, and I think what some trainees may underestimate is ease of living,” Robertson said. “As a trainee, you spend your whole life in the hospital and you need the rest of your life to be easy, and it’s easiest in the Midwest as compared to anywhere else.”
Robertson said fellows will have great opportunities to consider how to provide excellent care both within our clinical facilities and to how to extend continuity of care after they complete their treatments.
“The comprehensive care that we’re able to provide patients going through their cancer journey is why we choose gynecologic oncology,” Robertson said. “I don’t have to hand my patients off to anybody else and I am able to provide care from their diagnosis throughout their whole cancer journey, and that’s pretty meaningful — that longitudinal relationship with the patients…It is very rewarding. There are hard days for sure, but very rewarding.”
For more information about obstetrics and gynecology fellowships at IU School of Medicine, please contact Nichole Shelton, fellowship program manager for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
