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American Society of Hematology awards Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis $1.7 million for the Innovative Hematology-Focused Fellowship Training Program

The Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program at Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine will administer the ASH Hematology-Focused Fellowship Training Program (HFFTP), an initiative to address the critical need to expand the hematology workforce. ASH has invested $19 million to strengthen the next generation of hematologists by funding the creation of 10 new hematology-focused fellowship tracks in the U.S at nine academic institutions across the country to provide critical education, mentorship, and research opportunities for fellows interested in pursuing careers in classical hematology.

From left to right Dr. Elaine Majerus ( Co-Division Chief Hematology), Nicole Gaudin (Research Coordinator), Dr. Sana Saif Ur Rehman (Associate Program Director, CO-PI) Dr. David Russler-Germain (Fellow), Dr. Saiama Waqar (Program Director, CO-PI) Dr. Andrew Young (Fellow), Heather Cobillas (Fellowship Coordinator).

Each institution will receive funding from ASH to develop a robust hematology training experience for up to two new fellows per year over five years to produce 50 new academic hematologists by 2030. The first cohort of 10 ASH-sponsored hematology fellows will begin in July 2023.

“ASH believes it’s critically important to support the next generation of hematologists,” said ASH President Jane N. Winter, MD, of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “This program will not only provide world-class medical training to fellows across the country but will also address growing gaps in medical care to help ensure the best care of patients with blood disorders.”

HFFTP at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis offers innovative training with a curriculum that marries essential aspects of traditional hematology with novel clinical and research training. The three tracks include the Hemostasis and Thrombosis Track, the Hemoglobinopathies and Cellular Therapy Track, and the Transfusion Medicine/Hematology track co-administered with the Blood Banking and Transfusion Medicine program, with fellows eligible for dual certification.

Fellows will also have the opportunity to participate in a fully funded degree program including the Master of Science in Clinical Investigation or Public Health Sciences, which is seamlessly integrated within the existing combined Hematology/Oncology fellowship training program, offering structured career development, mentorship and intradepartmental collaborations.

The new tracks offer opportunities to pair comprehensive classical hematology training with career-enhancing education in transfusion medicine, sickle cell disease, and thrombosis, as well as fields like medical education, systems-based hematology, and outcomes research.

Learn more about the HFFTP program at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and how to apply here.