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Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell Complex General Surgical Oncology

Program Director: Gary Deutsch, MD, MPH, FACS
Associate Program Director: Matthew Weiss, MD, FACS

The mission of the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship program is to train the next generation of cancer surgeons whose approach to the patient incorporates multidisciplinary, evidence-based, compassionate care, while continuing to maintain a commitment to innovation and the advancement of biomedical science. For those interested in an academic career, we strive to provide an atmosphere of inquiry and scholarship. Robust relationships with several prestigious institutions, including the Feinstein Institutes of Health and the Cold Spring Harbor National Laboratory, allow us to seamlessly integrate research into our commitment to patient care. Fellows will be given opportunities to educate colleagues and the greater community during their training, which will provide a strong basis for participation in future outreach programs and healthcare leadership positions. A devotion to professionalism and the practice of medicine, guided by ethical principles, is the cornerstone of our educational program.

The unique location of our two main campuses (Long Island Jewish Medical Center and North Shore University Hospital), right on the border between the better resourced New York State Nassau County and the under resourced New York City County of Queens, means our fellows are exposed to and responsible for the care of a wide spectrum of patients.  Differences can include socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity and health literacy. While the program has an academic focus, it also utilizes community-based settings in order to give trainees a greater breadth of clinical care environments and potential disparities in available resources. In alignment with our health system’s mission to provide the best care to the entire community, our fellowship seeks to graduate surgeons who are both capable and comfortable to practice among this diversity. Graduates are encouraged to pursue academic appointments after they complete their training. However, the breadth and volume of cases will also leave graduating fellows well-positioned to enter private practice, if desired.

About the Program

The Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship program is a two-year ACGME accredited training program, led by an experienced and diverse team of full-time faculty members. Throughout the entirety of their training, our fellows will receive personalized attention while splitting time at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and North Shore University Hospital, two of the most technologically advanced and well-resourced tertiary and quaternary referral centers in the region, and Huntington Hospital, recently named the number one community hospital in New York State by US News & World Report’s 2019-2020 Best Hospitals.  Additionally, there will be consistent exposure to the ambulatory patient care setting at the Northwell Health Cancer Institute/Center for Advanced Medicine, giving fellows a wide range of experience in both basic and complex pre- and post-operative issues encountered by our patients.  The Northwell Health Cancer Institute sees more than 16,000 cancer patients annually.  Northwell Health is also nationally recognized for expertise in robotic surgery, being the first health system to receive the Network of Excellence in Robotic Surgery designation.  Through this training program, young professionals will be able to immerse themselves at the third largest secular health care system in the country, acquiring first-hand experience in all the aspects of surgical oncology critical to becoming a leader in the field.

Our fellowship program is unique in its large complement of faculty with a 12:1 staff to fellow ratio.  All members of our faculty are board certified in surgical oncology or allied fields and their collective experiences run the full gamut of complex general surgical oncology. This gives our fellows access to a diverse knowledge base and experiences, which serves to shape their own interests and career path. Each member of our faculty works closely with our fellows, performing rounds alongside them and meeting with them regularly to evaluate progress.  Several members of our faculty were early adopters of robotic cancer surgery and have extensive experience performing every type of major abdominal operation in a minimally invasive fashion, including the Whipple procedure.

Clinical Rotations

As a first-year fellow expectations will be aligned with experience and comfort level, focusing more on the quality of participation and the growth in self-directed learning and initiatives.  The first year will include rotations in gastrointestinal and HPB, breast, skin/sarcoma, peritoneal surface malignancies/gynecology oncology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, and a research elective.  The pathology rotation will take place bi-weekly and run longitudinally throughout the first year.  Topics will be matched to the current rotation of the first-year fellow.

The second-year fellow will be expected to exhibit progressive authority and responsibility as more of a team leader and will function as a mentor to junior housestaff, using self-reflection and self-directed learning to improve the care of their patients.  Throughout the two years of training, the fellow will move from conditional to more significant independence in the operating room.  The second year will include rotations in head&neck/endocrine, and community surgical oncology/colorectal and breast practice.  The remainder of the year will reserve four rotations for dedicated research time and six rotations for the pursuit of electives.  This “super fellowship” is designed to allow fellows to choose areas for subspecialty training consistent with their future practice interests.

Research Opportunities

Fellows are expected to take part in clinical and translational research projects.  Each disease site has a disease management team research meeting held monthly.  The fellow will be asked to present their progress in a formal setting that includes several key members – including biostatisticians, research coordinators and managers.  Specialists from medical oncology, dermatology, pathology, radiology, biostatistics, molecular biology, and other cancer specialists also attend. Fellows are expected to submit their data for presentation at local, regional, and national meetings and ultimately publish their findings in peer-reviewed journals. Learning will take place under the supervision of their mentors, but fellows also serve as mentors for each other, and engage residents and medical students in research endeavors whenever appropriate. In the first year of their training, fellows will observe and participate in the discussion and planning of research projects. The expectation is that second-year fellows will function as leaders and propose new cancer / patient care topics ripe for further evaluation and study. There will also be opportunities to attend regional and national clinical research meetings (i.e. Alliance, SWOG) and to represent the institution by becoming a member of various committees.

We believe research and collaboration are fundamental aspects of academic growth. We fully support each young professional’s research initiatives outside of the healthcare system, giving fellows the opportunity to attend conferences and “boot camps” to fine-tune skills.  Robust relationships with several prestigious institutions, including the Feinstein Institutes of Health and the Cold Spring Harbor National Laboratory, allow us to seamlessly integrate research into our commitment to patient care.  The fellowship includes 20 weeks of dedicated research time and the chance to pursue additional research during 24 weeks of elective time, allowing fellows adequate time to participate in research at these institutions.

Meetings and Conferences

Our program includes a very robust teaching and academic scholarly schedule, involving several weekly and monthly conferences and meetings. These include: Surgical Oncology Service Teaching Rounds, Surgical Oncology Preoperative Indications Conference, Disease-specific Tumor Boards, Morbidity Mortality Conference, Grand Rounds, Journal Club, and Surgical Oncology Fellowship Didactic Program.  While each campus has its own site-specific conference schedule, through the use of robust teleconferencing software, fellows are now able to gain access to all sessions independent of their location.

How to Apply

Applicants interested in the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship program should apply through the electronic residency application service (ERAS). https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-residency/applying-residencies-eras/

Essential application information includes:

Curriculum vitae
USMLE or COMLEX transcript
Medical school transcript
Personal statement
Dean’s letter
ABSITE scores
Three (3) letters of recommendation, no older than six (6) months
ECFMG Status Report, if applicable

Contact Information

Fellowship Training Program Director:Gary B. Deutsch, MD, MPH, FACS
Program Director, Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship
Associate Professor of Surgery
Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
Address:Division of Surgical Education at NSLIJ, 270-05 76th Avenue, C Level, Room039AB, New Hyde Park, NY, 11040
Phone:718-470-4557
Email:gdeutsch@northwell.edu
Fellowship Program Coordinator:Shenice Polynice
Email:spolynice1@northwell.edu
Website:Fellowship in Complex General Surgical Oncology at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell | Northwell Health
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