Fellowship Details & Requirements

Timeline: Application process is on a rolling basis

Submit an original application by emailing the following:

• Curricula vitae
• Personal statement
• USMLE 1 & 2 (and step 3 if available) or COMLEX transcript and scores
• Three Letters of recommendation

Contact

Diana S. Osorio, M.D., M.P.H.
Associate Professor, Pediatrics - Patient Care
Program Director
Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Fellowship Program
T: (713) 745-9641
E: dsosorio@mdanderson.org

Giesel M Arnold, M.B.A.
Program Manager, Pediatrics-Patient Care
T: 713-563-0183
E: gmarnold@mdanderson.org

Onetra Robinson, M.S.
Program Coordinator, Pediatrics-Patient Care
Office: 832-373-4724
E: olrobinson@mdanderson.org

Additional Information
Compensation: GME Stipend Levels
Benefits: Graduate Medical Education Trainee Manual
Vacation: 3 weeks

Program Goals and Objectives
 

• Develop expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric CNS tumors
• Enhance research and clinical trial participation skills
• Prepare fellows for academic leadership roles in neuro-oncology
  

Program Structure 

The curriculum for the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center is designed to provide a comprehensive blend of clinical and research experiences, tailored to each trainee’s career goals. The training program encompasses inpatient and outpatient clinical services, additional specialized rotations, extensive research opportunities, and participation in a variety of didactic and conference experiences. 

Clinical Training 

Inpatient Consultation Service (4 weeks) 

• Responsibilities: 
  • Perform consults for the management of neuro-oncology patients inpatients.
  • Oversee general oncology fellows and residents rotating through the neuro-oncology service.
  • On call every 3 months for a weekday call 
• Supervision: 
  • Supervised by neuro-oncology attending physicians. 

Outpatient Service (One day of clinic per week) 

• Patient Panel: 
  • Build a panel of newly diagnosed neuro-oncology patients through: 
    • New patients encountered while on service. 
    • New patients referred to the outpatient clinic. 
    • Second opinion referrals from other institutions. 
• Clinic Schedule: 
  • One day of clinic per week. 

Additional Rotations 

To enrich the academic training experience, fellows can participate in additional rotations with various adjunct teams. These rotations are tailored to the trainee’s prior training, interests and availability. Possible rotations include: 

• Adult Neuro-Oncology (1-2 weeks) 
• Pediatric Neurosurgery (1-2 weeks) 
• Radio-Oncology ( 2-4 weeks) 
• Neuro-Pathology (1-2 weeks) 
• Neuro Radiology (1-2 weeks) 
• Phase 1 clinical trial clinic (One day of clinic a week) 
• Other specialized services as determined by trainee interest and program availability 

Research Component 

• Duration: Up to 28 weeks
• Focus: Conduct research projects with the goal of publication
• Mentorship: Guidance provided by experienced faculty members

Didactic and Conference Experiences
 

• M&M Discussions: Regular morbidity and mortality discussions to review cases and improve clinical practice.
• Weekly Multi-Disciplinary Conferences Pediatric Brain Tumor Board: Attend ad hoc multi-disciplinary conferences with teams such as neuro-radiology and neuro-pathology. 
• Professional Conferences: Opportunity to accompany faculty to national and international conferences, including:
  • Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO) or SNO-Pediatrics International 
  • Society of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology (ISPNO) 
  • Children's Oncology Group (COG) 

Our fellows receive access to exclusive department-specific resources, including:

• Advanced clinical training in a world-class cancer center
• Extensive research opportunities with funding support
• High patient volume with a wide variety of CNS tumor cases

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.