Nashville, TN

Training Program Director: Raeshell Sweeting, MD

Clinical Director, Vanderbilt Breast Center: Ingrid Meszoely, MD

Vanderbilt University Medical Center, located in Nashville, TN, is an 834-bed hospital where more than 35,000 surgical procedures are performed and 1.6 million ambulatory visits occur annually.

The Vanderbilt Breast Center serves to coordinate the multidisciplinary activities involved in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with benign and malignant disease. The Breast Center is part of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, which is the only NCI designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in Tennessee and a national leader in patient care and cancer research.  The Breast Center has been honored with an NAPBC certification and designated as Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology.  We offer a wide variety of services including all breast imaging modalities including screening & diagnostic mammography, tomosynthesis, ultrasound and MRI; image-guided biopsy techniques including ultrasound, stereotactic and MRI; benign and malignant breast disease treatment including Medical, Radiation and Surgical Oncology as well as Plastic Surgery; patient education; and genetic counseling/testing.  The breast surgeons and surgical nurse practitioners see more than 1500 new patients/year and perform 500 – 600 surgical procedures.

About the Program:

The Breast Oncology Fellowship is a one-year program and is part of the Vanderbilt School of Medicine, Division of Surgical Oncology and Endocrine Surgery.  The program was established several years ago and has recently undergone formalization of the educational program and been accredited by the Society of Surgical Oncology.

The Breast Oncology Fellowship includes core rotations in breast surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgical pathology, plastic surgery, and clinical research.  There are also opportunities to engage in patient care at our Dayani Rehab center (lymphedema therapy and post-op physical therapy) and Center for Integrative Health (psycho-oncology & mindfulness resources). During the one year program, the fellow is prepared for patient care by active participation in various clinical settings, lab (pathology) and the OR.  Fellows are expected to actively participate in the coordination of care, engage in multidisciplinary educational conferences and perform meaningful clinical research.

The core teaching faculty includes 7 breast surgeons, as well as numerous faculty from other specialties including Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Plastic Surgery, Pathology, Radiology and Genetics.

Eligibility

To be eligible for appointment to the Breast Oncology Fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the candidate must have completed a general surgery residency, including a chief residency year, in an accredited program in the United States or Canada. The individual chosen for this appointment must be certified or eligible to take the qualifying examination of the American Board of Surgery.

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