Fellowship Details & Requirements

Our GME Office has preliminary eligibility requirements that all prospective trainees must meet before applying for a training program at our institution. In addition to these criteria, our program also the following requirements:

Candidates must be board-certified or eligible for certification in anatomic pathology or AP/CP.

How to Apply

Now accepting applications for academic year 2026-27.
 

• Application
• A statement of intent
• Current curriculum vitae (with home address, mobile phone, e-mail and visa status). All undergrad and postgraduate training must include start and end dates (mm/dd/yyyy) and PGY level, where applicable.
• Three letters of recommendation
• Letter of good standing from residency/fellowship program
• ECFMG certificate (if applicable)
• ALL steps of the USMLE must be passed at the first 3 attempts.
• All application documents should be sent as attachments in one email to ybanuelos@mdanderson.org

The fellowship aligns its goals and objectives with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's (ACGME) six core competencies to ensure comprehensive training and development of fellows in the field of hematopathology.

Patient Care

Our program emphasizes providing fellows with comprehensive training in state-of-the-art diagnosis in neoplastic and non-neoplastic hematopathology disorders. Fellows will gain hands-on experience in evaluating tissue (lymph nodes, spleen, and extranodal tissues), bone marrow, and body fluids by morphology and ancillary test (immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, cytogenetic and molecular analysis) results.

Medical Knowledge

Through structured educational activities, including didactive lectures, WHO conferences, unknown conferences, and multi-departmental tumor boards (leukemia/lymphoma/myeloma planning clinics), fellows will acquire a thorough understanding of the pathology, diagnosis, and management of hematological disorders. Fellows will understand and apply the main classification scheme of lymphomas as outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO) classification and International Consensus Classification (ICC) and reactive process as well as the impact of ancillary tests, including their usefulness and limitations. Fellows will also engage in research endeavors to deepen their medical knowledge and contribute to advancing the field.

Practice-Based Learning and Improvement

Fellows will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills through active participation in case sign-out, research projects, and scholarly activities. They will receive mentorship from experienced faculty members to continually assess and enhance their clinical practice and research endeavors.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

Fellows will refine their communication skills to effectively interact with interdisciplinary healthcare teams. They will learn to convey the diagnostic results in a clear and empathetic manner, fostering meaningful relationships with colleagues and facilitating collaborative care.

Professionalism

Our program instills values of professionalism, integrity, and ethical conduct in fellows, preparing them to uphold the highest standards of patient care, research integrity, and professional responsibility. We are committed to carrying out professional responsibilities, and adherence to ethical and legal principles in interactions with laboratory personnel and other pathologists. Fellows will learn to navigate challenging ethical dilemmas and demonstrate respect, compassion and cultural sensitivity in their interactions with colleagues.

Systems-Based Practice

Fellows will gain insight into the health care system's structure and function, learning to navigate complex health care environments and advocate for optimal patient outcomes. Fellows will learn to effectively call on system resources to provide care that is of optimal value.

By integrating these core competencies into our fellowship program, we aim to develop and train the next generation of leaders in the hematopathology field, including clinical practice, research, and leadership roles. 

The Hematopathology department's fellowship program has two components: (1) The first year (the Hematopathology Fellowship) is accredited by ACGME, completion of which fulfills the requirements for board certification in hematopathology; (2) the second year (Advanced Hematopathology Fellowship) is not accredited by ACGME but is designed to create a solid academic foundation and further improve diagnostic skills.

The first year is dedicated to an in-depth clinical training experience.

• Lymphoma service (20 weeks) - The fellow rotates on two diagnostic services: the Inside Service (specimen tissue obtained at MD Anderson) and the Outside Service (specimen tissue obtained outside of MD Anderson). Evaluation of tissue using a combination of morphology and various ancillary tests.
• Bone marrow service (10 weeks) – Evaluation of bone marrow using a combination of morphology and various ancillary tests.
• General Hematology (1 week) – Interpretation of peripheral blood and body fluid.
• Pediatric Hematopathology (2 week) – Rotation at Texas Children’s Hospital. Gain proficiency in interpretation of peripheral blood smears, body fluids, and urine sediments of newborn, infant, childhood and adolescent patients with differential diagnosis appropriate for age.
• Flow Cytometry (3 weeks) – Training in laboratory methodologies in flow cytometry, learning theory and principles of flow cytometry through didactic lectures and discussions with pathologists, and correlation of flow cytometry findings with morphology, clinical findings, and other laboratory data.
• Cytogenetics (2 weeks) – Exposure to cytogenetic techniques and methods, sign out, discussion and conferences, and clinical correlation and consultation.
• Molecular Diagnostics (3 weeks) – Training in laboratory methodologies, interpretation of molecular assays and clinical/pathologic correlation, and discussion sessions and conferences.
• Coagulation (4 weeks) – Rotation at The University of Texas-Houston. Diagnosing common coagulation disorders and how to manage those using different types of blood product.
• Elective (4 weeks) – Clinical service or research.

In the second year, the fellows have additional time on core Hematopathology rotations (lymphoma and bone marrow services), elective rotations and protected time for research project(s).

In the past year, our fellows have won significant grants/awards:

Paul E. Strandjond Young investigator Grant

Fellow: Qing Wei, M.D., Ph.D. Mentor:  Guilin Tang

Title: Comprehensive cytogenomic analysis on Ph-negative B-lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma by optical genome mapping.

Organization: Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists (ACLPS)

Amount: $7,500;   Duration: 6/1/2024 – 5/31/2025

DPLM Fellow Research Grant

Fellow: Shuyu E, M.D., Ph.D. Mentor:  Wei Wang

Title: Deciphering Lineage Aberrancy of Four Types of Immature Leukemias

Organization: Division of Pathology and Lab Medicine (DPLM), MD Anderson Cancer Center

Amount: $5,000;   Duration: 7/1/2023 – 6/30/2024

DPLM Fellow Research Grant

Fellow: Qing Wei, M.D., Ph.D. Mentor:  Guilin Tang

Title: Comprehensive Cytogenomic Analysis on Ph-negative B-lymphoblastic Leukemia/ Lymphoma by Optical Genome Mapping

Organization: Division of Pathology and Lab Medicine (DPLM), MD Anderson Cancer Center

Amount: $5,000 

Amount: $5,000;   Duration: 7/1/2023 – 6/30/2024

AMP Young Investigator Award

Fellow: Qing Wei, M.D., Ph.D. Mentor:  Guilin Tang

Organization: Association for Molecular Pathology, 2023

Pathologist-in-training Award

Fellow: Qing Wei, M.D., Ph.D. Mentor:  Guilin Tang

Organization: Society for Hematopathology, 2024

Past graduates include faculty at the following academic institutions:

Baylor College of Medicine

Cleveland Clinic

Georgetown University

Memorial Hermann Health System

Moffitt Cancer Center

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

University of Florida

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

University of Washington

Integrative immunophenotypic and genetic characterization of acute myeloid leukemia with CBFB rearrangement.

Sameeta F, Wang SA, Tang Z, Khoury JD, Fang H, Wang D, Xu J, Li S, Hu Z, Hu S, Jorgensen JL, Medeiros LJ, Wang W. Am J Clin Pathol. 2024 May
27:aqae060. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/aqae060. Online ahead of print. PMID: 38801226
 

Diagnostic utility of immunohistochemistry in detection of NPM1 mutations in acute myeloid leukemia with a patchy distribution.

Wei Q, Wang SA, Loghavi S, Fang H, Medeiros LJ, Wang W. EJHaem. 2024 Feb 19;5(2):379-382. doi: 10.1002/jha2.866. eCollection 2024 Apr. PMID: 38633114
 

Acute myeloid leukemia with mast cell differentiation is characterized by interstitial mast cells, complex karyotype, TP53 alterations and poor prognosis.

Kim DH, Wang SA, Wang W, Tang G, Li S, Yin CC, Lin P, Konopleva M, You MJ, Miranda RN, Wang X, Wei Q, Medeiros LJ, Xu J. Haematologica. 2024 Mar 28. doi: 10.3324/haematol.2024.284976. Online ahead of print. PMID: 38546693
 

TP53 mutation is frequent in mantle cell lymphoma with EZH2 expression and have dismal outcome when both are present.

Kim DH, Siddiqui S, Jain P, Wang M, Thakral B, Li S, Miranda R, Vega F, Medeiros LJ, Ok CY.  Hum Pathol. 2024 Apr;146:1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.humpath.2024.03.002. Epub 2024 Mar 7. PMID: 38460798
 

Myeloid neoplasm with <10% blasts and t(3;5)(q25.1;q34)/NPM::MLF1: A classification dilemma.

Sameeta F, Fang H, Wang W, Tang Z, Wang SA, Toruner GA, Parisi X, Khoury JD, Issa G, Garcia-Manero G, Medeiros LJ, Tang G, Loghavi S.Am J Hematol. 2024 Mar 5. doi: 10.1002/ajh.27284. Online ahead of print.PMID: 38440855 
 

Potential genetic mechanisms driving B/myeloid conversion in patients with follicular lymphoma and Langerhans cell neoplasms.

Tashakori M, Medeiros LJ.Leuk Lymphoma. 2024 Jun;65(6):715-719. doi: 10.1080/10428194.2024.2319691. Epub 2024 Feb 21. PMID: 38380864 

Multicolor flow cytometric immunophenotyping is highly sensitive and specific in identifying aberrant mast cells in the diagnostic workup of systemic mastocytosis.

Nwogbo OV, Fang H, Wang W, Xu J, Miranda RN, Bose P, Ok CY, Jorgensen JL, Medeiros LJ, Wang SA.Am J Clin Pathol. 2024 Jun 3;161(6):598-608. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/aqad187. PMID: 38372648
 

Optical genomic mapping is a helpful tool for detecting CCND1 rearrangements in CD5-negative small B-cell lymphoma: Two cases of leukemic non-nodal mantle cell lymphoma.

Quesada AE, Hu S, Li S, Toruner GA, Wei Q, Loghavi S, Ok CY, Jain P, Thakral B, Nwogbo OV, Kim D, Iyer SP, You MJ, Medeiros LJ, Tang G.Hum Pathol. 2024 Feb;144:71-76. doi: 10.1016/j.humpath.2024.01.012. Epub 2024 Jan 30. PMID: 38301962
 

Genetics and pathologic landscape of lineage switch of acute leukemia during therapy.

Zhou T, Curry CV, Khanlari M, Shi M, Cui W, Peker D, Chen W, Wang E, Gao J, Shen Q, Xie W, Jelloul FZ, King RL, Yuan J, Wang X, Zhao C, Obiorah IE, Courville EL, Nomura E, Cherian S, Xu ML, Burack WR, Liu HX, Jabbour EJ, Takahashi K, Wang W, Wang SA, Khoury JD, Medeiros LJ, Hu S.Blood Cancer J. 2024 Jan 25;14(1):19. doi: 10.1038/s41408-024-00983-2. PMID: 38272888 

Our trainees have the opportunity to work alongside leading  cancer experts at MD Anderson and institutions across the Texas Medical Center. Additionally, our trainees receive exceptional support from the fellowship leadership team: 

Program leadership

Division Head: Donna E. Hansel, M.D., Ph.D.

Department chair: L. Jeffrey Medeiros, M.D.

Program director: Jie Xu, M.D., Ph.D.

Program coordinator: Yvette Bañuelos

In addition to gaining unparalleled education and training experience, MD Anderson trainees have access to exceptional resources and benefits to help them build meaningful careers and lead fulfilling lives.

Institutional benefits and support

GME trainees’ salary stipends are updated every year based on the ACGME’s recommendations, and because our trainees are considered workforce members, they also enjoy MD Anderson’s employee benefits, including health insurance, retirement planning, disability insurance and six weeks of parental leave.

Our GME House Staff Senate offers trainees the opportunity to experience a leadership role in a medical field career, and the institution’s Academic Mentoring Council provides avenues to secure tailored academic mentoring from faculty. Our GME trainees benefit from the extensive support offered to our research trainees, too; they are invited to participate in grant application workshops, apply for pilot grants to support their research ideas and receive monetary awards for securing extramural grant funding.

Trainee wellness is also of utmost importance at MD Anderson.

Our trainees have access to MD Anderson’s employee networks, fitness center and other wellness resources provided by the institution. Additionally, our Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC), which provides oversight of our accredited programs, regularly assess our trainees’ needs and implements various initiatives, such as providing free call meals and discounted parking to GME House Staff, to address those gaps. The committee even has a subcommittee entirely dedicated to supporting the wellness of our trainees.

Our efforts to ensure a welcoming and supportive education and training experience have been commended nationally. In 2023, the Office of Graduate Medical Education received the DeWitt C. Baldwin, Jr. Award, a prestigious national award that recognizes our institution for its respectful and supportive environment for delivering medical education and patient care.

Beyond MD Anderson

MD Anderson’s location has many benefits, too. Our main campus is nestled inside the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest medical center which boasts about 10 million patient encounters each year. Many of our faculty are involved in interorganizational research collaborations, both within the TMC and across the nation, exposing trainees to groundbreaking advancements in medical care in real time.

Most importantly, the city of Houston is a great place to call home and raise a family. We are one of the most culturally diverse cities in the nation. More than 145 different languages are spoken across the city, placing us behind only New York and Los Angeles. In fact, about 30% of the city’s population speaks a language other than English at home. And, paychecks here stretch farther than most U.S. metro areas, thanks to our low cost of living.

Visit our Why Houston page to learn more about our city’s affordable housing, fine dining, entertainment scene, nationally renowned museums and other great attributes.