Training the Next Generation of Cancer Surgeons at Rutgers

New Fellowship Helps General Surgeons Subspecialize in Oncology

complex general surgical oncology fellowshipNew Brunswick, N.J. – Aiming to enhance the training of cancer surgeons, a two-year fellowship program is now being offered by Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. The Fellowship in Complex General Surgical Oncology offers board-eligible surgeons an opportunity to subspecialize in the intricacies of cancer care both in the clinical and research arenas.

Offering this specialized training within an academic unit that collaborates with a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center is ideal, since the nature of the cases here is often unique and complex.  This type of environment is more conducive to learning the realities of this rapidly-changing field rather than just reading about a unique procedure or diagnosis in the classroom.

David A. August, MD, chief, section of gastrointestinal surgical oncology at Rutgers Cancer Institute and professor of surgery at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, has been appointed as director of the fellowship program, which provides advanced training for candidates. This includes rotations within the areas of gastrointestinal surgical oncology, melanoma/soft tissue surgical oncology, breast surgical oncology, head and neck surgery, pathology, medical oncology and radiation oncology.  Basics of tumor biology and the biology of cancer therapies – including surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation therapy – also are covered. 

There also is a focus on research.  Along with required training in clinical research methods and regulatory issues, fellows have an opportunity to explore laboratory research, public health research and clinical trials research with an emphasis on translational research. They may also request a third year of training devoted to research. 

“This fellowship is an investment in the next generation of cancer surgeons, as it prepares them to provide comprehensive surgical care in an oncology setting.  Using cutting-edge technologies and training alongside nationally renowned experts in the field, these fellows will learn how to apply a multidisciplinary approach to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer,” says Leonard Y. Lee, MD, FACS, FACC, FCCP, the James W. Mackenzie Chair in Surgery, professor and interim chair of the Department of Surgery and chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital – the flagship hospital of Rutgers Cancer Institute.

Mihir Shah, MD, has been selected as the program’s inaugural Fellow.  Dr. Shah completed his general surgery training at the Cleveland Clinic and is currently a Fellow in the minimally invasive surgery program at Emory University in Atlanta.  He will begin the Fellowship in Complex General Surgical Oncology on August 1.

About Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey (www.cinj.org) is the state’s first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. As part of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, the Cancer Institute of New Jersey is dedicated to improving the detection, treatment and care of patients with cancer, and to serving as an education resource for cancer prevention. Physician-scientists at the Cancer Institute engage in translational research, transforming their laboratory discoveries into clinical practice, quite literally bringing research to life.  To make a tax-deductible gift to support the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, call 848-932-3637 or visit www.cinj.org/giving. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheCINJ.

The Cancer Institute of New Jersey Network is comprised of hospitals throughout the state and provides the highest quality cancer care and rapid dissemination of important discoveries into the community. Flagship Hospital: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. System Partner: Meridian Health (Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Ocean Medical Center, Riverview Medical Center, Southern Ocean Medical Center, and Bayshore Community Hospital). Major Clinical Research Affiliate Hospitals: Carol G. Simon Cancer Center at Morristown Medical Center and Carol G. Simon Cancer Center at Overlook Medical Center. Affiliate Hospitals: JFK Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (CINJ Hamilton), and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset.

About Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
As one of the nation's leading comprehensive medical schools, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in education, research, health care delivery, and the promotion of community health. Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, the medical school's principal affiliate, comprise one of the nation's premier academic medical centers. In addition, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School has 34 other hospital affiliates and ambulatory care sites throughout the region.

Part of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School encompasses 19 basic science and clinical departments, hosts centers and institutes including The Cardiovascular Institute, the Child Health Institute of New Jersey, and the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine. The medical school maintains educational programs at the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels on its campuses in New Brunswick and Piscataway and provides continuing education courses for healthcare professionals and community education programs. To learn more about Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, visit rwjms.rutgers.edu or interact via social media at www.facebook.com/RWJMedicalSchool and www.twitter.com/RWJMS.   

 

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