University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center

Ann Arbor, Michigan

The Dr. Polly Suk-Yee Cheung Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship

Training Program Director: Jacqueline S. Jeruss, MD, PhD

The University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center is an NCI-designated cancer center, and the Division of Surgical Oncology has had an established Breast Fellowship since 1997. The fellow works under the direct supervision of the Director of the Breast Care Center (BCC). The BCC is a part of an outstanding multidisciplinary Breast Oncology Program that consists of renowned clinical scientists and researchers; we participate in clinical trials coordinated by the Alliance and the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast Project. In addition, there are several institutional protocols involving neoadjuvant chemotherapy, patient-derived xenografts, and percutaneous breast tumor cryoablation.

Clinical Involvement

The BCC features a weekly multidisciplinary clinic that is coordinated in conjunction with a tumor board meeting for a 40comprehensive review of all newly diagnosed, complex, and/or recurrent breast cancer cases. Patients are evaluated by a panel of surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, plastic surgeons, breast imaging radiologists, pathologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and oncology nurses. This clinic serves as the foundation for documenting the extent and stage of disease, clinical trial eligibility, surgical treatment options, and neoadjuvant versus adjuvant systemic therapy options. The fellow is directly involved in the evaluation and subsequent surgical management of patients seen in this clinic. The BCC also has a weekly satellite clinic in a facility 10 minutes away from the University Hospital where undiagnosed breast problems are evaluated. The fellow is involved in staffing this clinic along with another faculty surgeon. This facility also houses an ambulatory surgery unit featuring an outpatient frozen section pathology program that analyzes surgical breast and sentinel lymph node specimens.

Program Objectives and Rotations

The major objective of the fellowship is to provide specialized training over the course of one year in the management of breast diseases and cancer. Fellows are appointed to the Department of Surgery faculty as lecturers. Our fellowship is sponsored by the Department of Surgery and consists of one-month rotations through various subspecialty clinics, including medical oncology, radiation oncology, breast cancer genetics and plastic surgery. Other rotations provide training in breast imaging and pathology. The fellow functions as a junior faculty member in the Division of Surgical Oncology. The fellow works with the entire faculty and is expected to develop expertise with a variety of surgical and interventional techniques, including sentinel lymph node biopsy and skin-sparing mastectomy. The fellow will also be involved with the teaching of surgical residents and medical students. The second half of the fellowship year features independent clinical services provided by the fellow.

The formal (mandatory) didactic experience of our fellowship includes the following:

1. A weekly didactic session with breast fellowship program director
2. Weekly BCC Multidisciplinary Breast Educational Forum, a CME-accredited one-hour lunchtime speaker series
3. University of Michigan BCC Annual Multidisciplinary Breast Cancer Symposium featuring internationally renowned guest faculty
4. Monthly Comprehensive Cancer Center Grand Rounds Program
5. A comprehensive review course in biostatistics and epidemiology offered by the University of Michigan Center for Statistical Consultation and Research

There is also an opportunity for international travel to Hong Kong through a partnership with the Michigan Center for Global Surgery

Courses, Research, and Additional Training Experiences

The fellow is sponsored to enroll in one of the University of Michigan School of Public Health summer courses in epidemiology or biostatistics, and to attend the School of Breast Oncology Conference. The fellow is expected to complete at least one original research manuscript and one review article of the book chapter for publication. She/he is sponsored to attend the Society of Surgical Oncology annual cancer symposium, and there are options to attend other national meetings as well.

For additional information regarding the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, please see: www.mcancer.org.

Eligibility and Application

Applicants should be general surgery board-eligible/board-certified with the American Board of Surgery. Interested candidates should apply via the Society of Surgical Oncology. Upon completion and review of all materials, potential candidates will be invited to interview at our institution. One position is available per year.

Contact Information