Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship

The Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at Indiana University School of Medicine prepares trainees for clinical practice and academic research. The three-year ACGME-accredited fellowship accepts two fellows a year with the goal of training physicians competent in all aspects of diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients within hematology, oncology, and stem cell transplant. Fellows are given progressive autonomy throughout the trajectory of their fellowship to manage their individual panel of hematology and oncology patients. Additional fourth year training opportunities exist beyond the three-year curriculum based on the fellows individual interests (stem cell transplant/immunotherapy, neurofibromatosis, etc).

We encourage our fellows to take opportunity of the range of experiences offered through specialty clinics in hematology and oncology. First year is focused on immersion in clinical care, whereas the second- and third-year fellows devote their time to scholarly activities that range from bench to bedside as well as education and informatics.

Riley Hospital for Children is a comprehensive, freestanding children’s hospital located in downtown Indianapolis. The hospital services the entire state of Indiana as well as bordering regions of Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky. Fellows train at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health in Indianapolis, which treats approximately 300 new oncology patients annually. Riley is also home to the only pediatric stem cell transplant (SCT) and immunotherapy program in Indiana, which performs approximately 60-70 cell infusions per year. Emphasis is placed on learning the range of indications for stem cell transplant/immunotherapy, donor selection, methods of stem cell transplant, clinical and experimental cell therapies, complications and outcomes. Fellows are exposed to clinical apheresis, human leukocyte antigen typing and the stem-cell therapy laboratory.

Our mission is to train pediatricians to excel in the care of cancer and blood disorders, while fostering and supporting their individual passions and pursuits within the field.

Apply

Physicians interested in applying to the Hematology/Oncology fellowship at IU School of Medicine can contact the program coordinator for details.

Email Program Coordinator

Video

See what the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology program has to offer.

Leadership

Co-Program Director

Kathleen Overholt, MD

Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics

Read Bio Kathleen Overholt, MD

Co-Program Director

Amanda J. Saraf, DO

Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics

Read Bio Amanda J. Saraf, DO

Associate Program Director

Jodi L. Skiles, MD, MS

Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics

Read Bio Jodi L. Skiles, MD, MS

Division Chief

Brian D. Weiss, MD

Professor of Clinical Pediatrics

Read Bio Brian D. Weiss, MD

Program Coordinator

Kris Powell

Fellowship Program Coordinator

Clinical Time

The first year of this fellowship training consists predominantly of immersion in clinical care. Fellows will spend time rotating through all core rotations, including stem cell transplant, hematology and oncology service, both inpatient and outpatient. As fellows progress through the first year, they assume more responsibility for clinical decision-making and house staff education. The rate at which fellows assume increased responsibility is dependent upon their level of competence and confidence. By the end of their first year, it is expected that fellows are able to function as an attending, using faculty mentors as resources.

The second and third years of training are designed to prep are the trainee for clinical or laboratory investigation. Opportunities for investigation within IU School of Medicine’s Division of Hematology/Oncology and the Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research as well as Riley Hospital are excellent and broadly based. Additionally, there are opportunities for scholarly activity in education, quality improvement, informatics and medical ethics.

Curriculum

Year One

During first year of fellowship there is a strong emphasis on clinical exposure. Fellows will spend two months on leukemia and lymphoma inpatient service, two months on solid tumor and neuro-oncology inpatient service, three months on hematology inpatient service, and two and half months on stem cell transplant inpatient service.

Outside of the inpatient service months there are two outpatient blocks dedicated to specialty hematology and oncology experiences. These consist of but are not limited to sickle cell disease clinic, bone marrow failure clinic, hemophilia clinic, hematology and adolescent medicine clinic, thrombosis clinic, special coagulation lab, blood bank, hematology-pathology exposure, stem cell outpatient clinic, palliative care, infectious disease for immunocompromised patient, cancer predisposition clinic, precision genomics, oncofertility, and much more. Fellows also have a two week immersion into neuro-oncology consults, clinics, and radiation oncology. Fellows have a one month research block to start to develop their research project for second and third year of fellowship. Throughout first year fellows will have a full day continuity clinic once a week during which they will independently see their own panel of hematology and oncology patients, staffed with primary mentor physicians.

As fellows progress through first year they will assume more responsibility for clinical decision making. The rate at which fellows assume increased responsibility is dependent upon their level of competence and confidence. By the end of their first year it is expected that fellows are able to function independently with faculty mentors as resources for guidance.
Years Two and Three

The second and third years of training are designed to prepare the trainee for clinical or laboratory investigation in an area of their chosen interest. There are a wide range of excellent opportunities for research within IU School of Medicine’s Division of Hematology/Oncology and the Herman B. Wells Center for Pediatric Research as well as Riley Hospital. Fellows focus on the design conduct, analysis, and presentation of meaningful research with the guidance of a primary research mentor. Fellows are also expected to participate in one quality improvement project during their second and third year of fellowship. While not required, the majority of fellows are able to successfully present their research at national conferences or publish their research.

Throughout second and third year of fellowship fellows focus on research but also continue with once-a-week full-day continuity clinic to enable them to clinically manage their individual panel of hematology and oncology patients.

Fellows have the opportunity to participate in graduate-level education to facilitate training in their research endeavors. Many of our fellows have obtained a masters in clinical research through the Clinical Investigator Training Enhancement Program, masters in medical education, masters in ethics, and many more opportunities guided by the fellow’s individual interests.

Call Schedule

All fellows will complete 12 weekend calls per year (roughly one weekend per month) with six joint hematology-oncology weekend calls and six stem cell transplant weekend calls. Weekend call consists of inpatient rounding and covering calls on inpatients from nurses and residents. On the weekend home calls from parents are managed by the on-call advanced practice provider.

Fellows take home call approximately one night a week during first year, one night every two weeks in second year, and once a month in third year. Weeknight calls consist of staffing admissions from the ER by phone, resident/APP calls on inpatients, and home calls from parents. When a fellow is on stem cell transplant rotation, they will not take hematology-oncology related calls but will take four nights of stem cell transplant related inpatient calls, admissions, and home calls from parents. Attending backup is always available as an attending is assigned to night call with the fellow for challenging patient scenarios.

Mentorship

First year fellows are assigned a faculty mentor who will help guide the fellow through the various aspects of first year of fellowship including: Wellness and adjusting to a new hospital system, clinical education and developing an diverse independent patient panel, and identifying an area of interest for research as well as a research mentor.

Second and third year fellows are expected to have developed a Scholarly Oversight Committee (SOC) which meets a minimum of five times of the two year period to discuss progress through research and job applications. The SOC consists of the program leadership as well as three research mentors, one of whom is outside of the pediatric hematology-oncology division.

Education

Fellows gain knowledge in pediatric hematology/oncology and stem cell transplant through clinical exposure, division meetings and a traditional didactic series. Fellows are required to participate through leading various didactic sessions throughout their three years of fellowship as well. Available division meetings and didactic sessions are as follows:

A weekly board focused fellow lecture series (second and third year fellows present one hematology and one oncology topic a year; first year fellows present one topic a year)
A bi-monthly hematology slide review
Hematology Pearls presentations (second and third years present two a year and first years present one a year)
Oncology Pearl presentations (second and third years present one a year)
Quarterly morbidity/mortality meetings (fellows are encouraged to present cases as they arise)
Journal Clubs (first years present journal articles relevant to the inpatient service they are on once per inpatient month)
Tumor board (fellows are encouraged to present cases as they arise)
Disease specific management meetings

View a full list of our benefits.