Cancer and Blood Diseases Center

Clinical Training

Fellows do one year of clinical training and rotate through six services: hematology, hematologic malignancy, solid tumor, stem cell transplantation, ambulatory hematology, and neuro-oncology. They also receive training in trans­fusion medicine and laboratory medicine. There is a high degree of "hands-on" clinical responsibility. A queue system is used to be sure that fel­lows have patients with a broad distribution of diseases. For more information about each clinical service please visit (link).

The program is similar for most fellows, but is big enough that it is possible to vary the clinical experience for fellows who need a special program or want additional training in other spec­ialties (e.g. ID, immunology, nuclear medicine, genetics/me­tabolism, etc.) Although most fellows are pediatricians or med-peds residents, the program has also trained 14 internists since 1965. In general, these were individuals with a particular interest in labora­tory research who wanted a broad training experience, and who participated in a customized, combina­tion program with the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute leading to subspecialty boards in medical hematology and/or oncology.

Pediatric and Adult Training in Hematology (PATHway) is a shared program between the Hematology/Oncology Division at Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center and the Hematology Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.  Fellows interested in careers in non-malignant hematology, survivorship care for the formerly lethal pediatric malignancies; or trainees interested in transitional care for the “pediatric” disorders, e.g. thalassemia and marrow failure are able to gain training in this combined pediatric/adult program. 

We are also willing to train individuals whose interests lie astride or between disciplines.  For example, we provided training for a physician who wanted to bring the disciplines of oncology and radiation therapy closer together by receiving training in both fields.  Similarly, we have supported several fellows who combined training in infectious diseases and hematology/oncology, five who combined immunology training with hematology/oncology, one who linked metabolism, genetics, and hematology, one who combined hematology with extra training in neuro-oncology, three who have also become certified in transfusion medicine, two who have completed additional training in pediatric palliative care, and one who also completed training in hematopathology.  We are always willing to discuss unique arrangements and to try to accommodate our fellows’ interests, even when out of the ordinary, because we believe such individuals enrich the program with new views and experiences.