Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship

This three-year program prepares trainees for the clinical practice of pediatric hematology/oncology. Our very busy inpatient and outpatient services will expose you to the wide range of disease entities necessary for complete training in this subspecialty, including successful certification by the American Board of Pediatrics.

The entire first year of training is spent in patient care. With seven inpatient modules (which include two bone marrow/stem cell transplant modules), two exclusive outpatient modules, and four modules spent in the areas of radiation oncology, blood bank, coagulation and hematopathology, you will be immersed in clinical activities, expanding your knowledge base and comfort level with these complicated and rewarding patients. A portion of one module is also reserved for early research planning. Cleveland Clinic has an active residency program, and you will work closely with the residents during day-to-day patient care, in a supervisory and teaching role. With six staff, your personal interactions and learning opportunities will be outstanding, as you assume the role of primary hematologist or primary oncologist for your patients.

During the second and third years of training, all time is devoted to research activity, which may be basic or clinical in nature. Research opportunities abound at Cleveland Clinic, and much forethought is expected as you plan for your research endeavors. Two modules are spent in a junior inpatient attending role during the third year.

All pediatric subspecialties are well-represented at Cleveland Clinic, and in pediatric hematology/oncology, you will work with all of them. One unique feature of our hospital is that our PICU is staffed 24/7 by attending level physicians, which leads to better outcomes for our patients. We work with four incredibly skilled pediatric surgeons, whose care of our patients is unsurpassed. We recently welcomed another pediatric neurosurgeon, who has brought a new level of skill and cutting-edge care to our neuro-oncology population.

Call is taken from home, and the schedule is as follows:

The only way to care for such children is with a multidisciplinary approach, and our team embodies this concept. In addition to our physicians, we have Nurse Practitioners, RNs, Child Life Specialists, Social Worker, Art Therapists, Pediatric Psychologists and Dietician support who provide comprehensive care for these very unique children and their families. From this array of professionals, our educational opportunities are endless.

Our didactic curriculum is comprehensive, covering required Board Review, as well as topics that are not specific to this subspecialty. Specifically, our fellows’ curriculum is directed towards all pediatric subspecialty fellows and includes such subjects as:

• Research Design
• Clinical Biostatistics
• Ethics
• Informed consent
• Learning to Teach
• Professionalism
• Quality Improvement

Cleveland Clinic Children’s hospital boasts numerous experts in many areas, and we do not hesitate to ask these colleagues to share their expertise with our fellows!

Meet our docs!

Gregory Plautz, MD, Department Chair – Research interest in tumor immunology, specifically the role of immunotherapy in brain tumors. Office with several photos of his three boys and his yellow lab, Layla.

Kate Gowans, MD, Fellowship Program Director – General clinical oncology, and head of sickle cell clinic; strong hematology presence. Big sports fan, mostly Indians and Michigan State; young school aged children who love to provide cool artwork.

Michael Levien, MD, Fellowship Assistant Program Director – General clinical oncology, with a special interest in glycogen storage diseases. We love everything about him, mostly the bagels and donuts; he loves his granddaughter Molly the most.

Rabi Hanna, MD Director, Stem Cell Transplantation - Special clinical interests of bone marrow/stem cell transplantation and leukemia. Big sports fan, loyal Blue Devil.

Tanya Tekautz, MD - An amazing neuro-oncologist, with a special interest in atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors. Loves her Starbucks and her lakefront apartment filled with various wildlife.

Margaret Thompson, MD, PhD – General clinical oncology, with a special interest in sarcomas. Well known for bringing craft projects to her patients, and for her love of her canine friends Murphy and Flo.

The greater Cleveland area has much to offer. Nestled against beautiful Lake Erie, its attractions are many, including top notch schools, a fantastic city parks system, excellent dining of all types, a world renowned orchestra, exciting nightlife and concerts, a superb zoo and Science Center, botanical gardens, and NBA, NFL and MLB teams whose games are all easily accessible.

• To learn more about what Cleveland has to offer check out the Cleveland Clinic Graduate Medical Education website.

We welcome you to Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital, and look forward to showing you this exceptional facility where children, adolescents and young adults receive cutting-edge, comprehensive care for cancer and blood disorders. Our fellowship program participates in ERAS, and Cleveland Clinic supports J1 and H1b visas.