Washington University School of Medicine

St. Louis, Missouri

Training Program Director: Julie A. Margenthaler, MD

The Division of Surgical Endocrinology and Oncology at Washington University School of Medicine and the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center provide a comprehensive one-year program for advanced training in the management of breast disease and cancer.

Washington University is internationally recognized for research in genetics, oncology, immunology, and diagnostic imaging, and annually receives significant funding from the NIH ranking the medical school as the third largest recipient of NIH dollars among medical schools in the United States. The Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center is the only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the state of Missouri, and fosters collaboration between physicians and researchers. Over 700 new patients with breast cancer are treated annually at the Joanne Knight Breast Center, which is a state-of-the-art breast center coordinating the efforts of surgery and breast imaging. The Surgical Breast Fellowship currently accepts one trainee annually.

Program Goals

The goals of the surgical fellowship for advanced training in breast disease are to provide excellent clinical training in the management of breast disease and cancer, as well as opportunities for breast cancer research. Fellows completing this program will have the skills and experience to assume a leadership role in the multidisciplinary care of the patient with breast cancer.

Clinical Rotations

The Siteman Cancer Center fosters a multidisciplinary approach to the management of the patient with breast cancer. As such, the fellow will participate in all aspects of care of the patients with breast cancer, and spend significant time on the Breast Surgical Service, with additional rotations in Radiology, Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Pathology, Plastic Surgery, Nuclear Medicine, Genetics, and Psychosocial Medicine and Outreach. The faculty, in disciplines other than surgery, is also committed to providing an excellent educational and participatory experience for the surgical fellow. The fellow will work closely with the faculty in all aspects of care of the patient with breast cancer, and be responsible for the pre-and post-operative care of patients with breast cancer, and perform operations with the surgical oncology faculty.

Teaching and Training

The fellow will also act as a junior faculty member in the Division of Surgical Oncology, and assume primary responsibility, under the direction of the program coordinator, for specific patients with breast disease and cancer. The fellow will assist in the education and training of surgical residents and medical students.

Meetings and Conferences

Weekly conferences, lectures, and grand rounds in the various disciplines, a monthly journal club and seminars, enhance the didactic educational experience. There is a weekly multidisciplinary breast cancer conference, where all newly diagnosed patients are discussed. The opportunity is also available for advanced training at recognized courses such as in breast ultrasound and attendance at national breast cancer conferences.

Research and Clinical Trials

Research and scholarly activity are an essential component of the fellowship program. Washington University participates in a number of cooperative groups (American College of Surgeons Oncology Group, NSABP, CALGB, RTOG, etc.), and the fellow will assist in the recruitment and follow-up of patients enrolled on both national and institutional clinical trials. There are a significant number of opportunities to participate in Washington University/Siteman Cancer Center institutional trials related to breast cancer research, investigating the role of mammoglobin, vaccines for breast cancer, gene therapy, and micrometastatic disease. The Siteman Cancer Center provides over 14 cores for basic science, clinical and translational research. These cores facilitate research in the genetic, proteonomic and molecular basis of cancer, and coupled with excellent computer resources, provide outstanding support for the fellow to engage in research activities. The fellow will be trained in the development of protocols and clinical trials, and be expected to design one original clinical trial or protocol, and to submit at least one project or paper for national presentation and publication during the fellowship year. Other opportunities for scholarly activity are available, and will be under the guidance of the fellowship director.

Eligibility

Prospective candidates must have completed a surgical residency, be board eligible, and able to obtain a Missouri license.

Contact Information