Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowships
The Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation, and Integrative Medicine (PRIM) offers six clinical fellowship positions for its Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship, which is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The fellowship lasts one year, but trainees have the option to apply for a second year concentrating on palliative care research if they have secured outside funding from their home institution or a granting agency. In addition, there are two clinical fellowship positions offered through the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs (VA) track.
The Department of Palliative Medicine was established by Dr. Eduardo Bruera in 1999 and continues to grow as a testament to the value of supportive care in serious illness. In addition to leading through clinical care and research, providing education for the next generation of palliative care clinicians locally and worldwide remains a critical mission of the department.
Fellows are trained in the practice of palliative care and symptom management for patients with advanced cancer and other serious illnesses across all ages. The Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship is a comprehensive training program that provides hands-on experience caring for both inpatient and outpatient settings, as well as the palliative care unit. Fellows gain experience working collaboratively with interdisciplinary team members and alongside other specialties.
External rotations at the VA and Methodist Hospital provide unique opportunities for fellows to gain exposure to non-cancer patients in advanced neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal diseases. Additionally, fellows rotating in the VA will benefit from caring for the unique challenges of veteran patients, including post-traumatic stress disorder and similar conditions.
Fellows in the MD Anderson Cancer Center track rotate for seven months in the inpatient services in MD Anderson, one month in Houston Methodist Hospital, and one and a half months in the VA service. Fellows in the VA track rotate for six months in VA and three and a half months at MD Anderson. All fellows will spend two-and-a-half months between a dedicated hospice service, pediatric, and elective rotations. All fellows will also have a weekly continuity clinic experience between MD Anderson and the VA.
A Letter from our Program Director
On behalf of the Hospice & Palliative Medicine fellowship program, I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. As fellowship program director, it is my privilege to introduce you to our renowned fellowship program, which stands at the forefront of palliative and supportive care, research and education. Our program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
At MD Anderson, we pride ourselves in developing well-rounded palliative care physicians who will become leaders in the field. We are one of the largest and longest-running palliative care programs in the nation. One of the hallmarks of our program is the multidisciplinary team experience in education and patient care. Here, fellows work hand-in-hand with world-renowned physicians, clinical psychologists and counselors, clinical pharmacists, palliative care certified nurses and advanced practice providers, chaplains, social workers, case managers, as well as specialists in Integrative Medicine, physical and occupational therapists, and nutritionists.
Fellows in the Hospice & Palliative Medicine program will have access to a diverse population with both advanced cancer and non-cancer conditions.
Through our partnership with the Veterans Administration, Houston Methodist Hospital and Vitas Hospice, fellows will be exposed to a wide range of medical conditions, complex symptomatology and medication management, and unique challenges of our patients and caregivers from diagnosis to end-of-life. There are few academically trained palliative care physicians in the country who are equipped to handle this variety of cases.
Additionally, we incorporate a rigorous academic experience in which fellows can participate in clinical research under the guidance of well-published mentors. We have also developed a year-long comprehensive didactic lecture series provided by our faculty and interdisciplinary team members; topics include symptom management and disease-based topics, opioid management, research seminar series, communication-based training, and psychosocial-focused sessions.
As a fellow in our program and at MD Anderson, you will have access to a wealth of resources, state-of-the-art facilities, and the expertise of leaders in their respective fields. I encourage you to explore all that the Hospice & Palliative Medicine program has to offer and invite you to become a part of our team. Whether your goal is a career in clinical care, academia, or research, we are committed to providing you with the education and hands-on training needed to become a global leader in palliative care.
We appreciate your interest in the Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program and look forward to welcoming you to our family.
Meet Our Current Fellows
Meeta Kanwar, M.D. | Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellow
Gustavo Mastroleo, M.D. | Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellow
Haneen Abdelkheleq, M.D. | Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellow
Jason Chaocon, M.D. | Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellow
Shaylee Dave, D.O., FACP | Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellow
Daniel Gilbey, M.D., MS | Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellow
Meeta Kanwar, M.D. | Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellow
Gustavo Mastroleo, M.D. | Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellow
Haneen Abdelkheleq, M.D. | Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellow
Jason Chaocon, M.D. | Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellow
Lorena Rojas Gomez, M.D. | Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellow
Santosh Yatam Ganesh, MD | Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellow
Richa Nathaniel, D.O. | Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellow
Lorena Rojas Gomez, M.D. | Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellow
Santosh Yatam Ganesh, MD | Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellow
Richa Nathaniel, D.O. | Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellow
Lorena Rojas Gomez, M.D. | Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellow
Meet Our Alumni
Kimberson Tanco, M.D., FAAHPM
Program Director
Phone: 713-794-3278
Email: KCTanco@mdanderson.org
Yvonne J. Heung, M.D., M.S., FACP
Associate Director
Phone: 713-794-1834
Email: YJHeung@mdanderson.org
Sharona Washington-Lockett, MBA
Program Manager
Phone: 832-882-5167
Email: smwashington-lockett@mdanderson.org
Skylon Rosas
Training Program Coordinator
Phone: 713-745-5613
Email: srrosas@mdanderson.org
Hospice & Palliative Fellowship Email: mda_hpm_fellowship@mdanderson.org