What drew you to Mayo Clinic? The culture of Mayo was a big draw for me. There is a genuine commitment to the guiding ethos: 'The needs of the patient come first.' Excellence is the standard for patient care. Education and research are also highly prioritized. Collegiality is the norm, and people are generous in sharing their expertise for patient care and research collaborations. Additionally, as an aspiring physician-scientist, I was looking for a training program with a strong residency program, fellowship program, and research environment. Mayo Clinic checked all those boxes for me.

Medical school: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Residency: Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Graduate Medical Education

What aspects of Mayo Clinic’s fellowship do you feel are unique? Each fellow has an individual patient panel, scheduled one half-day a week as our Continuity Clinic. Over the past two years, I have crafted a panel of patients with both hematologic and oncologic malignancies, as well as some benign heme disorders. This panel is built through new patient oncology and hematology clinics, as well as new patients we inherit through our hospital months.

Medical school: University of the West Indies, Jamaica
Residency: SUNY Health Sciences Center at Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY

What was your favorite part of the fellowship?

"My favorite part of the program was my co-fellows. We were a big family, always collaborating on research projects, getting together outside of work, and being there for each other. Our faculty was also very approachable. They were only one phone call or page away and always willing to answer all your questions and see patients with you when necessary."

Medical school: Universidad Catolica Nordestana, Dominican Republic

Residency: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey

Current affiliation: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts

What aspects of Mayo Clinic’s fellowship do you feel are unique? I think a feature that is quite unique to our program is the Fellow’s Continuity Clinic where each fellow acts as the primary oncologist for their own continuity clinic patient panel. The autonomy afforded by this continuity clinic, combined with a robust well-rounded clinical training and opportunities to work with world-class faculty in a collegial environment, provides a depth and breadth of education that is unparalleled.

Medical school: Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA
Residency: Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA

What aspects of Mayo Clinic's fellowship do you feel are unique? One of the most unique aspects is our continuity clinic where we have the opportunity manage patients with a diverse mix of malignancies. Many of these patients are first encountered during our inpatient rotations or new patient clinics, which creates a seamless transition into longitudinal outpatient care. This continuity fosters a deep sense of ownership, enhances clinical growth, and allows us to build meaningful relationships. Equally valuable are the research opportunities and mentorship. Fellows are supported with protected time, institutional resources, and access to engaged, world-class mentors. I’ve had the chance to contribute to impactful research, present at national meetings, and collaborate closely with faculty on projects aligned with my academic interests.

Hometown: Boise, ID
Residency: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

What are your plans for after fellowship and how do you envision your future? I am interested in lymphoproliferative disease with my primary focus in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Strong mentorship from leaders in the field with a genuine interest in my career development has led to meaningful projects resulting in publications and national/international presentations, including an oral presentation awarded the YIA Top Rated Abstract oral presentation at iwCLL 2019.

Medical school: University of Missouri, Columbia School of Medicine, Columbia, MO
Residency: Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN

What are your plans for after fellowship and how do you envision your future? I am fortunate to be staying on as a GI Oncologist at Mayo Clinic after I graduate. I plan to be an academic oncologist focusing on clinical trials bringing new therapies to the frontline for our GI cancer patients, particularly those with pancreatic cancer. Throughout my fellowship I have had wonderful mentors guide my research progress and I look forward to continuing to learn from them even after my “official” training ends.

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Residency: Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH

"The Hematology and Medical Oncology fellowship has the best clinical training. The fellows have the most autonomy with adequate supervision during the training. Upon graduation, they are very well-prepared for clinical practice regardless of type of setting. Patient care at Mayo Clinic has the best quality and efficiency in the nation. Patient care from different specialties is almost unified. The relationship between internists, surgeons, pathologists, and radiologists is extremely collegial. The patient is always first in our daily work."

Medical school: Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio

Residency: Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut

Current affiliation: Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN