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The Leukemia Clinical Fellowship Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center accepts applications for fellowship opportunities annually from August 1 through October 1. This distinguished program offers a one-year advanced clinical training opportunity, with the option to extend for a second year.

Program Accreditation and Institutional Affiliation

• The Leukemia Clinical Fellowship Program is a non-standard fellowship, accredited by the Texas Medical Board and formally recognized as an approved training program.
• The fellowship is affiliated with Â鶹ӳ»­ MD Anderson Cancer Center¡¯s Hematology/Oncology Fellowship, which holds accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
• The academic year cycle begins on July 1st and concludes on June 30th of the following year.

Application and Contact Information

For general inquiries regarding the fellowship program, prospective applicants are encouraged to contact the Leukemia Training and Education Program Office via email at leuktrain@mdanderson.org.

Information regarding the application processes is provided below in the ¡°How to Apply¡± section.

The Program achieves its goals through a combination of inpatient and outpatient clinical experiences.  The core competencies and milestones are achieved through a required set of rotations, a didactic curriculum and elective rotations designed to broaden the base of knowledge. The Fellowship complements the hands on training with an even broader range of conferences that are available through national and international hematology and medical oncology organizations.  Fellows are involved in clinical research and are encouraged to develop a research program of his/her own and to compete for national presentations and awards. 

The recent achievements of our Program describes an undeniable understanding just how valuable it is to provide in-depth clinical training in the diagnosis and management of leukemia and related malignant disorders (MDS, MPN), and to provide clinical and research training in acute leukemia. 

During the first year of fellowship is designed to orient the trainee to the diseases and treatments commonly encountered in leukemia.  This intense, hands-on training includes outpatient clinics where the fellow serves as the primary oncologist for the patient, and benefits from close precepting.  Fellows are expected to learn about each case from all available resources, including literature and faculty experts.  During this time, the fellow also rotates through leukemia inpatient wards to gain focused exposure to specific disease types.

During the optional second year of training, the fellow continues to expand his or her general clinical education through outpatient clinic, inpatient consults and specialty projects.  In addition to the clinical responsibilities, fellows begin to focus on a narrow subspecialty, both clinically and in research.

• Individuals applying for admissions into the Leukemia Fellowship Program must hold an M.D. or D.O. degree and have completed an ACGME-accredited residency in internal Medicine or foreign equivalent.
• Applicants must have a valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).
• At minimum, applicants with a M.D. degree or its foreign equivalent must have completed USMLE Step I and USMLE Step II CK. 
• At minimum, applicants with a D.O. degree or its foreign equivalent must have completed all three parts of the COMLEX exam.
• Additionally, all applicants must have passed each step/part/level of a licensure examination (USMLE or COMLEXII) within three (3) attempts.
• Applicants must be a U.S. Citizen, Permanent Resident, or be eligible for J-1 Visa Sponsorship.  The J-1 visa is sponsored by the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).   
• MD Anderson Cancer Center does not offer or sponsor H-1B Visas for GME Trainees.

Application Requirements for the Leukemia Clinical Fellowship Program

The Leukemia Clinical Fellowship Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center is a highly competitive training opportunity. All application contingencies must be finalized prior to the deadline, as incomplete applications and late inquiries will not be accepted.

Application Process

• Applications are accepted through the Leukemia Training and Education Program Office.
• To initiate the application process, candidates must submit a current curriculum vitae (CV) via email to leuktrain@mdanderson.org, along with the required documents.
• A detailed application checklist outlines the necessary materials and provides instructions for requesting documents from external entities.
• Interviews will be conducted upon completion of all application requirements for selected candidates.

Institutional Requirements

The Graduate Medical Education Office at MD Anderson Cancer Center mandates specific documentation to process applications for the Leukemia Clinical Fellowship Program. Applicants must ensure all requested materials are submitted in accordance with institutional guidelines to facilitate timely review and consideration.

Application Checklist for the Leukemia Clinical Fellowship Program

The Leukemia Clinical Fellowship Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center requires applicants to submit a comprehensive set of documents to ensure eligibility for consideration. Below is a detailed checklist of required materials:

Application Form

• Complete the attached application form and submit via email, along with all supporting documents, to leuktrain@mdanderson.org.

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

• A written summary detailing the applicant¡¯s educational background, work experience, and professional accomplishments.

Letters of Recommendation

• Three letters of recommendation dated no more than one year prior to the start date of the academic year.
• Letters must be on official institutional letterhead, signed, dated, and include referee contact details.
• One letter must be from the current program director (if applicable), while the remaining letters must be from individuals qualified to assess the applicant¡¯s clinical qualifications.
• Letters must be sent directly from the referee to leuktrain@mdanderson.org.  Letters submitted through intermediaries will not be accepted.

Licensure Exam Transcripts

Applicants must pass each step/part/level of an exam within three attempts.

• M.D.s: Submit the Federation of State Medical Boards' Examination and Board Action History Report (EBAHR) via FSMB at .
  • Minimum requirements: USMLE Step 1 and Step 2CK.
• D.O.s: Submit the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) transcript via NBOME at .
• Canadian Medical Graduates: Submit the Licentiate of the Medical Council (LMCC) transcript via

Medical School Transcripts

• Submit official transcripts from all medical schools attended.
• Transcripts must come directly from the medical/dental school or be received in a sealed envelope with an official stamp or signature.
• We will accept via email Official Transcripts only if sent directly from your Medical School Registrar Office Official to our program email address at leuktrain@mdanderson.org
• Copies, including notarized versions, are not accepted.

Credential Evaluations

• Graduates of medical schools outside the U.S. and Canada must submit a credential evaluation verifying degree equivalency in the U.S.
• See a list of evaluation companies.  (Please note: The FCVS packet does not fulfill this requirement.)

Program Certificates of Completion

• Provide copies of completion certificates from all graduate medical education (GME) programs (residencies and/or fellowships).

Letter of Good Standing

For applicants currently enrolled in a GME program but not yet completed:

• Submit a Letter of Good Standing from the program director, dated no more than six months prior to the anticipated start date.
• The letter must include the current PGY level and program start/end dates.

ECFMG Certificate

• Graduates of medical schools outside the U.S. and Canada must provide a valid ECFMG certificate at the program start date.

Translations/Document Conversions

• Documents in languages other than English (including Latin) must be accompanied by a Certified English translation.
• Unofficial documents will only be accepted if converted into a pdf format.  Documents submitted via jpg or other image extensions will be returned.

Information for GME Applicants

Document Submission:

In the event official documents are not sent electronically via email, please request your records to be sent via US Postal Service or via Priority/Express Mail Service to one the following addresses.

Please note that you should request tracking information for any document not submitted electronically.
Document submission requirements will vary; please review the Application Checklist for details specific to each document.

U.S. POSTAL SERVICE

Leukemia Fellowship Program
Â鶹ӳ»­ MD Anderson Cancer Center
Department of Leukemia
ATTN: ERICH OLEY
1515 Holcombe Blvd., Unit 428
Houston, TX 77030

PRIORITY/EXPRESS MAIL (FedEx, UPS, DHL)
Leukemia Fellowship Program
Â鶹ӳ»­ MD Anderson Cancer Center
Department of Leukemia
ATTN: ERICH OLEY
1400 Holcombe Boulevard
FC3.3028
Houston, TX 77030

Class of 2024

Fellow | Next Assignment | Location
Emmanual Almanza Huante, M.D. | Clinical Fellow Stem Cell Transplantation
    MD Anderson Cancer Center | Houston, TX
Alex Bataller Torralba, M.D. | Assistant Professor ¨C Leukemia
    MD Anderson Cancer Center | Houston, TX
Ian Bouligny, M.D. | Assistant Professor - Leukemia
    MD Anderson Cancer Center | Houston, TX
Robert Briski, M.D. | Clinical Fellow ¨C Hematology/Oncology
    University of Miami | Miami, FL
Georgina Gener Ricos, M.D. | Assistant Professor Clinical Hematology
    Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol - ICO Badalona | Barcelona, Spain
Akhil Jain, M.D. | Clinical Fellow ¨C Hematology/Oncology
    University of Iowa | Iowa City, IA
Eitan Kugler, M.D. | Assistant Professor - Leukemia
    MD Anderson Cancer Center | Houston, TX
Patrice Eric Nasnas, M.D. | Clinical Fellow ¨C Infectious Disease
    Mount Sinai Medical Center | Miami, FL 
Wei Ying Jen, M.D. | Assistant Professor - Leukemia
    MD Anderson Cancer Center | Houston, TX

Class of 2023

Fellow | Next Assignment | Location
Tareq Abuasab, M.D. | Assistant Professor - Hematology & Oncology
    Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX
Alexandre Bazinet, M.D. | Assistant Professor - Leukemia
    MD Anderson Cancer Center | Houston, TX
Rodrick Babakhanlou, M.D. | Consultant
    The Royal Marsden Hospital | London, United Kingdom
Sai Prasad Desikan, M.D. | Clinical Fellow - Nephrology
    Ohio State University | Columbus, OH
Faustine Ong, M.D. | Clinical Fellow ¨C Hematology & Oncology
    Moffitt Cancer Center | Tampa, FL
Jayastu Senapati, M.D. | Assistant Professor - Leukemia
    MD Anderson Cancer Center | Houston, TX

Class of 2022

Fellow | Next Assignment | Location
Daniel Rivera, M.D. | UT Health Houston Program (Hematopathology Residency) | Houston, TX
Fadi Haddad, M.D. | MD Anderson - Assistant Professor - Leukemia | Houston, Texas
Kunhwa Kim, M.D. | MD Anderson ¨C DoCM Hematology/Oncology Fellow | Houston, Texas
Sangeetha Venugopal, M.D. | Sylvester Cancer Center, University of Miami (Assistant Professor) | Miami, FL

Class of 2021

Fellow | Next Assignment | Location
Yasmin Alwash, M.D. |  Mount Sinai Medical Center | Miami, Florida
Danielle Hammond, M.D. | MD Anderson Cancer Center | Houston, Texas
Shehab Mohamed, M.D. |  National Center of Cancer Care and Research | Doha, Qatar
Kiyomi Morita, M.D. Ph.D. |  AstraZeneca | Tokyo, Japan
Jorge Ramos-Perez, M.D. | City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center | Duarte, CA
Maria Siddiqui, M.D. | Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, Texas

Class of 2020

Fellow | Next Assignment | Location
Hycienth Ahaneku, M.D., Dr.PH. |  Beaumont Health System Royal |  Oak, Michigan
Ahmad Saleh T Alotaibi, M.D. | King Faisal Specialist Hospital | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Veronica Guerra, M.D. | Mount Sinai Medical Center  |  Miami, Florida
Arrvind Raghunath, MBBS | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center | Lubbock, Texas
Bachra Samra, M.D. | Presbyterian Healthcare System | Albuquerque, New Mexico
Omar Shahin, MBBCh | King Hussein Cancer Center | Amnan, Jordan
Guillaume Richard-Carpentier, M.D. | Queen's University Kingston | Ontario, Canada

Class of 2019

Fellow | Next Assignment | Location
Iman Abou Dalle, M.D. |  American University of Beirut - Lebanon | Beirut, Lebanon
Mansour Alfayez, M.D. |  King Fahad Medical City | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Yamil Michelen Alvarez, M.D. | Stony Brook University Hospital |  Stony Brook, New York
Darwin Roman, M.D. | University of Southern California | Los Angeles, California
Mahran Shoukier, M.D. | MD Anderson Cancer Center - Gen. Internal Med. (Fellow) | Houston, Texas
Mahesh Swaminathan, MBBS | Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center | Buffalo, New York
Eran Tallis, M.D. | Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, Texas
Fevzi Firat Yilnaz, M.D. | MD Anderson Cancer Center - Stem Cell (Fellow) | Houston, Texas