Fellowship Program | Hematology and Oncology | UC Davis Health

Fellowship Programs

Fellowship Program

Hem Onc Fellows

This fellowship training program offers clinical and research experience in hematology and medical oncology. The three-year program is designed to meet requirements for Board qualification in the subspecialties of hematology and oncology. A two-year program in either hematology or medical oncology is also available. The program is supported through the School of Medicine, UC Davis Medical Center, the Veterans Administration Northern California Health System, Sacramento Kaiser Permanente Hospital and the Sacramento BloodSource.

The UC Davis Cancer Center is a National Cancer Institute designated Clinical Cancer Center.

On behalf of Dr. Helen Chew, the Associate Program Director, the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the UC Davis School of Medicine and the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, I would like to thank you for your interest in our Hematology and Oncology Fellowship Program.   

As a former fellow in the Hematology and Oncology Fellowship Program, I have a unique perspective – this program provides a robust clinical foundation with an abundance of research opportunities in an incredibly collegial environment. Our graduates are successful in an array of environments, i.e., academia, integrated health systems, and private practice.  As of August 1, 2021, I am honored to serve as the Program Director of the Hematology and Oncology Fellowship. 

The Division of Hematology and Oncology continues to be one of the largest divisions in the Department of Internal Medicine with 32 full-time faculty members. The UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in inland California, with a referral base of 4 million people hailing from an expansive region that stretches from the Oregon border to the lower San Joaquin Valley and to western Nevada. Our therapeutic programs, anchored by NCI-funded Phase I and Phase II development grants, offer pioneering therapies to patients.  

Our goal is to train outstanding clinicians, clinician-scientists and translational researchers in hematology and oncology. The rotations that are offered in our program provide ample opportunities to take on a breadth of clinical problems across a diverse patient population at the UC Davis Medical Center and the VA Medical Center Sacramento.  Trainees also have an option to rotate through the Kaiser Permanente Oncology Clinics as an elective. First-year fellows rotate through sub-subspecialty clinics at the Cancer Center and have weekly continuity clinics at the VA. Second- and third-year fellows have two half-day continuity clinics a week for general hematology and oncology at the Cancer Center and at the VA. Fellows follow their own panel of patients throughout their training, greatly enhancing their clinical experience. Rotations in Transfusion Medicine, Radiation Oncology, Palliative Care, and Hematopathology ensure exposure to these important disciplines.  

Research is a critical part of fellowship with a plethora of opportunities.  For fellows interested in a clinical investigation career, our program offers the Mentored Clinical Research Training Program (MCRTP). Those who complete the MCRTP receive a Masters of Advanced Study (MAS) in Clinical Research.  Other fellows who are interested in laboratory-based bench research also have a variety of options with active investigators within our own Division (i.e. T32 Training Program in Oncogenic Signals and Chromosome Biology). 

Maintaining wellness is an important goal of ours. To achieve this goal, we have a tradition of an Annual Fellows Retreat in Sonoma, CA.  In addition to our Hematology and Oncology fellows, we invite fellows from Gynecology Oncology and Palliative Care, along with residents from Radiation Oncology, to attend the retreat. This allows our fellows the opportunity to reflect on their experiences with their peers in a multi-disciplinary environment. We also organize an alumni fellows panel to discuss potential career paths. The annual retreat lends an important dimension to our program which is one-of-a-kind in the country. 

Another notable attribute of this fellowship program is the collegiality that exists at all levels within the division. From our fellows to faculty to nurse practitioners to case managers, the environment that is fostered is one where every individual can thrive. We encourage our fellows to interact with all of the faculty and engage in their areas of research interest. Fellow Continuity clinics at UC Davis are supervised by our diverse faculty who provide their specific expertise to relevant cases. Our faculty’s dedication sets this program apart and provides outstanding training to our fellows.  

Thank you for your interest in our fellowship program.  We have a truly unique and comprehensive program. We look forward to meeting you.  

Regards, 

Mili Arora, MD

Mili Arora, M.D.
Associate Professor of Medicine 
The Joe Sullivan Hematology Oncology Fellowship Program Director

 

UC Davis Medical Center

The clinical training takes place on the clinical services of the Division of Hematology and Oncology at UC Davis Medical Center and the Veterans Administration Clinics.

Fellows are required to rotate through the following services during their two or three years of training.

Diagram Months Schedule

*The actual number of months on each service may vary depending on the number of fellows available each year.

Fellows will maintain a regular outpatient clinic two half-days per week at UC Davis Medical Center and at VA Mather Hospital throughout the entire training period.

HemOnc Fellows Demonstration

We offer opportunities for individuals who have completed three years of training in Internal Medicine in the United States or Canada by the time they enter the fellowship-training program.  Applicants choosing the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Research Pathway will also be considered. They must be board certified or eligible in internal medicine, and must possess a California medical license before the start date of the fellowship program.

Application Process

The UC Davis, Division of Hematology and Oncology Program is ACGME approved for 10 fellowship positions. The Division generally accepts three first year fellows each academic year. 

We will utilize Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) for processing applications and are committed to participating in the NRMP.

ERAS website

Please visit the following websites for additional information.

Applicants selected will be contacted for interviews which are generally scheduled between September and October. Interviews are usually scheduled on Fridays.

Salary and Benefits

The University provides medical benefits for the fellows and their family members. Vacation time is accrued at two days per month for a total of 24 days per year. Sick leave is accrued at one day per month for a total of 12 days per year. 

Contact Information

If you have any questions, please contact:

Janna Peterson
Fellowship and Student Programs Coordinator
UC Davis Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology
4501 X Street, Suite 3016
Sacramento, CA 95817
916-734-8617 - Phone
916-734-1561 - Fax
jmfpeterson@ucdavis.edu

Application for California Medical License
Medical Board of California
2005 Evergreen St. Suite 1200
Sacramento, CA 95815
916-263-2382
Medical Board of California

Clinical and basic research projects are part of the training program.  Successful completion of a research project is required for graduation from the fellowship program. Fellows will choose their research project, which may include clinical or basic research under the guidance of a faculty mentor. The fellow and mentor conceptualize the project during the first year of fellowship.  Fellows are encouraged to present research results at local research conferences and national meetings, and submit manuscripts for publication.

Educational Opportunities

Educational conferences are held on a regular basis

  • Hematology and Oncology Patient Management Conference: faculty, fellows, residents, pharmacist and nurses attend this weekly conference. Interesting and difficult cases are discussed regarding diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
  • Subspecialty Conferences and Tumor Boards: The following subspecialty conferences are held on either a weekly or biweekly basis:
    • Breast Cancer Conference
    • Gynecological Cancer Conference
    • Head and Neck Tumor Board
    • Thoracic Oncology Conference
    • GU Tumor Board
    • Melanoma-Sarcoma Conference (Monthly)
  • Special Seminar Series:  On monthly basis, outside speakers are invited to present seminars on new advancements in hematology and oncology. In addition, mini-symposia are held three times a year which focus on an area of hematology or oncology.
  • Journal Club: Held on a weekly basis. Both clinical and basic science topics are covered in this conference.
  • Hematology Course: Senior fellows may participate in teaching the hematology course for the second-year medical students.

Educational conferences are held on a regular basis (see below):

  • Hematology and Oncology Patient Management Conference: faculty, fellows, residents, pharmacist and nurses attend this weekly conference. Interesting and difficult cases are discussed regarding diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
  • Subspecialty Conferences and Tumor Boards: The following subspecialty conferences are held on either a weekly or biweekly basis:
    • Breast Cancer Conference
    • Gynecological Cancer Conference
    • Head and Neck Tumor Board
    • Thoracic Oncology Conference
    • GU Tumor Board
    • Melanoma-Sarcoma Conference (Monthly)
  • Special Seminar Series:  On monthly basis, outside speakers are invited to present seminars on new advancements in hematology and oncology. In addition, mini-symposia are held three times a year which focus on an area of hematology or oncology.
  • Journal Club: Held on a weekly basis. Both clinical and basic science topics are covered in this conference.
  • Hematology Course: Senior fellows may participate in teaching the hematology course for the second-year medical students.

We are excited to announce we have been invited to join the American Society of Hematology’s newly formed Hematology Focused Fellowship Training Program Consortium. The aim of the program is to strengthen the next generation of hematologists by providing up-front training in classical hematology as well as malignant hematology and bone marrow transplant. In the latter half of fellowship fellows may choose to focus on a specific research project and additional oncology training can be added during this time for those would like to be boarded in both hematology and oncology.  Fellows in this program will also be able to participate in specific ASH HFFTP networking opportunities. 

Applicants interested in the UC Davis HFFTP should select the Hematology-Focused Track in ERAS and should reach out directly to program leadership at jmfpeterson@ucdavis.edu.  

All fellows are provided access to CellaVision which utilizes high-speed robotics and digital imaging to automatically locate and capture high quality images of cells. We utilize this program when reviewing blood smears which can be done remotely. Bonnie Bone Marrow Biopsy virtual simulator is used to teach trainees how to perform a bone marrow biopsy, all fellows train with faculty supervision during orientation and throughout the year.

First year fellows have a half day continuity clinic experience at the VA (First year fellows will also rotate through different subspeciality clinics at the UC Davis Cancer Center (8 weeks each).

In the second and third year, the fellow will have their own continuity clinic at UC Davis Cancer Center (one half-day/week) which includes their own patient panel and case manager. This is a great way for fellows to develop autonomy and build relationships with their patients (who view them as their hematologist and oncologist)while still under the supervision of an attending physician.

All fellows are expected and encouraged to pursue scholarly work and are provided guided mentorship by faculty. Our Division has ample opportunities to pursue projects in outcomes research, clinical trials and gene and cellular therapy. Many fellows present their work at the ASH and ASCO annual meeting in addition to other subspecialty meetings and many projects have resulted in publications in high impact journals. Trainees may also choose to participate in the Mentored Clinical Research Training Program (MCRTP). The course includes a two-year curriculum with a core in epidemiology, biostatistics, clinical research and clinical trial design, research ethics, informatics, and a mentored research project. Participation leads to a Masters in Clinical Research.

There are also opportunities for funded translational research and to pursue a fellowship in cellular therapy. The Hematology and Oncology Division has allocated $100,000 to support fellow research. Fellows may apply for this funding through a formalized application and will be reviewed by the Research Committee. Fellows may use the above internal funds for material or statistical support as well as to cover the costs of attending academic conferences to present their scholarly work. This is in addition to the already guaranteed travel and education stipend provided to all fellows annually.

The UC Davis Division of Hematology and Oncology is committed to improving Diversity, Equity and Inclusion within the field of medicine. A holistic admissions process is a top priority for our fellowship program. All faculty undergo culture competence training (Supporting Educational Excellence in Diversity) and a DEI task force is committed to improving recruitment and retention of diverse scholars to our institution.

Maintaining wellness is an important goal of ours. To achieve this goal, we have a tradition of an Annual Fellows Retreat in Sonoma, CA. In addition to our Hematology and Oncology fellows, we invite fellows from Gynecology Oncology and Palliative Care, along with residents from Radiation Oncology, to attend the retreat. This allows our fellows the opportunity to reflect on their experiences with their peers in a multi-disciplinary environment. We also organize an alumni fellows panel to discuss potential career paths. The annual retreat lends an important dimension to our program which is one-of-a-kind in the country. Even in the pandemic, we have continued to host this retreat virtually and found it to be an effective element to educate our fellows and provide an additional wellness resource in this evolving environment.

TAMER OTHMAN, M.D.

Tamer Othman, M.D.
Third Year Fellow Medical School: Rush Medical College Residency: Harbor-UCLA

BRIAN PHAM, M.D.

Brian Pham, M.D.
Third Year Fellow Medical School: UC Davis Residency: UC Davis Medical Center

RICHARD YOUNG, M.D.

Richard Young, M.D
Third Year Fellow - Chief Medical School: University of Oklahoma Residency: University of Arizona

EBAA AL-OBEIDI, M.D.

Ebaa Al-Obeidi, M.D.
Second Year Fellow Medical School: UC Irvine Residency: UC Davis Medical Center

RYAN LEIBRANDT, M.D.

Ryan Leibrandt, M.D.
Second Year Fellow Medical School: Medical College of Georgia Residency: Mount Sinai Beth Israel

CATHLEEN PARK, M.D.

Cathleen Park, M.D.
Second Year Fellow Medical School: University of Cincinnati Residency: University of Cincinnati

ASHLEY TRANE, M.D.

Ashley Trane, M.D.
Second Year Fellow Medical School: University of Utah Residency: University of New Mexico

KANISHKA PATEL, M.D.

Kanishka Patel, M.D.
First Year Fellow Medical School: Albert Einstein College of Medicine Residency: UC Davis

AARON TSUMURA, M.D.

Aaron Tsumura, M.D.
First Year Fellow Medical School: Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine Residency: Oregon Health and Science University

SUMANA VEERAVELLI, M.D.

Sumana Veeravelli, M.D.
First Year Fellow Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine Residency: University of Arizona College of Medicine

Name Year of Graduation Location
Jasmine Huynh 2022 INOVA Health, Virginia
James Liu 2022 Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group
Eric Granowicz 2022 Henry Ford Hospital, Michigan
Justin Chen 2021 Johns Hopkins, Maryland
Matthew Tenold 2021 UCSF Health
Tatini Datta 2021 Kaiser Permanente
Joanna Eldredge 2021 Kaiser Permanente
Erin Schwab 2020 Holland Hospital Michigan
Neha Damle 2020 St. Joseph's Health Napa
Naseem Esteghamat 2020 UC Davis Cancer Center
Christina Poh 2020 University of Washington
Leslie Oesterich 2019 Kaiser Permanente
Rahel Demisse 2019 Loma Linda University
Julian Davis 2018 UCLA Health
Patrick Lin 2018 Kaiser Permanente
Rajeev Krishnan 2018 Kaiser Permanente
John Schwerkoske 2018 City of Hope
Mamta Parikh 2017 UC Davis Cancer Center
Gwen Ho 2017 Kaiser Permanente
Barbara Galligan 2016 Marin Cancer Care
David Sun 2016 Kaiser Permanente
Kit Tam 2016 UC Davis Cancer Center
Helen Chow 2016 UC Davis Cancer Center
Aaron Rosenberg 2016 UC Davis Cancer Center