Yale Cancer Center has been selected by the American Society of Hematology (ASH) for the ASH Hematology-Focused Fellowship Training Program (HFFTP), an initiative to address the need to expand the hematology workforce. The program supports the launch of 10 new hematology-focused fellowship tracks at nine academic institutions across the country to provide education, mentorship, and research opportunities for fellows interested in pursuing careers in hematology.
Each institution will receive funding from ASH to develop a robust hematology training experience for up to two new fellows per year over five years to produce 50 new academic hematologists by 2030. The first cohort of 10 ASH-sponsored hematology fellows will begin in July 2023. The Yale HFFTP aims to mentor classical hematology-focused fellows who will lead the field in both traditional and innovative scholarly pursuits, including basic and translational science, medical education, health equities research, and the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
"We aim to train fellows from diverse backgrounds who will redefine the scope, breadth, and reach of academic hematology, specifically in classical hematology, with the goal of advancing scientific discovery, growing and diversifying the workforce, and improving health equities and access to care for patients with classical hematologic diseases," said Alfred Ian Lee, MD, PhD, program director.
Assistant Program Director Robert Bona, MD, commented, "There are many opportunities, spanning a wide breadth of clinical medicine, for those trained and experienced in classical hematology to contribute meaningfully to patient care. Being part of Yale’s Hematology Fellowship Focused Training Program is an honor for me and I very much look forward to bringing my enthusiasm for care and training in this medical discipline to curricular development, clinical oversight, and mentorship for our new trainees."
“ASH believes it’s critically important to support the next generation of hematologists,” said ASH President Jane N. Winter, MD, of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “This program will not only provide world-class medical training to fellows across the country but will also address growing gaps in medical care to help ensure the best care of patients with blood disorders.”
The new tracks offer opportunities to pair comprehensive classical hematology training with career-enhancing education in transfusion medicine, sickle cell disease, and thrombosis, as well as fields like medical education, systems-based hematology, and outcomes research.
Information on how interested applicants can learn more and apply is available at https://www.yalecancercenter.org/research/education/fellowship/medonc-hematology/ashfellowship/