What is Graduate Medical Education?

Graduate Medical Education (GME) refers to the post-medical school training that physicians undergo to specialize in a particular field of medicine. 

GME FACTS:

    • Post-Medical School Training:
      GME takes place after physicians have earned their Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degrees. 
       
    • Specialty Training:
      GME provides physicians with the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge and skills in a specific medical specialty, such as surgery, pediatrics, or internal medicine. 
       
    • Hospital-Based:
      GME is typically conducted in hospitals that have been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). 
       
  • Residency and Fellowship:
    The two main components of GME are residency and fellowship. Residency is a three- to four-year period of supervised clinical practice, while fellowship is a more specialized training program that usually lasts for one to three years. 
     
     

ACGME 

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) is the body responsible for accrediting all Graduate Medical Education—internships, residencies, and fellowships (subspecialty programs) — for physicians in the United States. It is a non-profit private council, formed in 1981, that evaluates and accredits medical residency and internship programs.

www.acgme.org

 

🩸 Hematology/Oncology ðŸ©¸

Fellowship

💡 What is a Heme/Onc Fellowship?

A Hematology/Oncology fellowship is a 3-year subspecialty training program following internal medicine residency. Fellows gain expertise in diagnosing and managing both malignant (cancerous) and benign (non-cancerous) hematologic and oncologic conditions. Most programs train fellows in both areas, preparing them for dual board certification.

🔬 What Does Training Include?

  • Inpatient & Outpatient Rotations: Fellows rotate through high-acuity and clinic settings.

  • Procedures: Bone marrow biopsies, intrathecal chemotherapy (program-dependent), and central line care.

  • Continuity Clinic: Longitudinal care with your own panel of patients.

  • Tumor Boards: Weekly multidisciplinary discussions of real patient cases.

  • Didactics: Regular lectures, journal clubs, and board review.

  • Research: Fellows typically complete clinical, translational, or outcomes research projects. Many present at national conferences like ASH or ASCO.

🩺 What Do Fellows Treat?

Hematology:

  • Anemia

  • Sickle cell disease

  • Hemophilia and other bleeding disorders

  • Thrombosis and clotting disorders

  • Leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma

Oncology:

  • Solid tumors (breast, lung, colon, prostate, etc.)

  • Rare cancers

  • Cancer of unknown primary origin

  • Survivorship care