Select 'Apply to REP' under Program-Specific Elements to apply to this rotation.
Elective Description
Internal medicine or internal medicine/pediatrics Residents are invited to participate in a month-long rotation in hematology at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The hematology experience at NIH focuses on clinical hematology, bone marrow failure syndromes, hematologic malignancies, and hematopoietic transplantation as well as providing a comprehensive introduction to clinical and laboratory-based research ongoing in the NIH hematology research programs. The NIH provides a unique opportunity for physicians interested in academic careers to investigate both clinical and basic research interests.
Three options are available for this rotation:
- Hematology Ward and Clinic
- Cell Therapy and Transplantation Service
- Clinical Hematology Consultation Service
When submitting your application, please specify your preferred hematology rotation option in your cover letter.
Hematology Ward and Clinic
The NHLBI Hematology Ward and Clinic rotation is a 4 week rotation providing an introduction to patient care in the rapidly advancing fields of hematology, primarily hemoglobinopathies and marrow failure conditions such as aplastic anemia and myelodysplasia. The resident will learn diverse and comprehensive aspects of patient care, including apheresis, immunosuppression, pain mangement, transfusion support, assessment of infectious vascular complications as well as skills in team management and communication in the multidisciplinary team model. The resident also attends hematology outpatients clinics five days weekly in sickle cell anemia, aplastic anemia, indolent hematolgogic malignancy, and transplantation.
Cell Therapy and Transplantation Service
The resident will join a team of hematology fellows and other healthcare providers working within clincal resarch protocols. A broad spectrum of diseases are represented, including aplastic anemia, autoimmune thrombocytopenias and hemolytic anemias, sickle cell anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, mutliple myeloma, chronic lymphocytic and chronic myelocytic leukemias, acute leukemias, and congenital bone marrow failure states. Ongoing experiemental protocols will involve autologous and allogenic bone marrow transplantation, hematopoietic growth factor therapy, immune modulation, manipulation of fetal hemoglobin production, antiviral therpay, iron chelation therapy, gene therapym and other areas. The resident will assit in the diagnostic evaluation and medical management of patients under the supervision and direction of the program director, attending physicians, fellows, and/or physician assistants and nurse practitioners.
Key Clinical Faulty on Hematology Inpatient Service and Clinics:
- Cynthia E. Dunbar, MD. Head, Molecular Hematopoiesis Branch, NHLBI
- Richard W. Childs, MD. Clincal Director, Senior Investigator, NHLBI
- Georg Aue, MD PhD. Staff Clinician, NHLBI
- John Tisdale, MD. Director, Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, NHLBI
- Adrian Wiestner, MD PhD. Tenured Senior Investigator, NHLBI
- Neal Young, MD. Chief, Hematology Branch, NHLBI
- Swee Lay Thein, MBSS DSc. Chief, Sickle Cell Branch, NHLBI
- Courtney Fitzhugh, MD. Lasker Clinical Research Scholar, NHLBI
- Andre Larochelle, MD PhD. Investigator, Regenerative Therapies for Inherited Blood Disorders, NHLBI
Clinical Hematology Consultation Service
The Resident will be part of the hematology consult team, providing consultative hematology care to patients throughout the 200-bed Clinical Research Center and their associated outpatient clinics. A broad spectrum of diagnostic problems will be encountered, with an emphasis on hemostasis and coagulation; cytopenias associated with HIV infection and other immunologic abnormalities; hematologic complications of novel drug therapies; and hematologic manifestations of a diverse collection of rare diseases. Training in the interpretation of bone marrow aspirates and biopsies, as well as the performance and interpretation of coagulation laboratory studies, are included in this rotation.
Key Clinical Faculty on Hematology Consult Service:
- Charles D Bolan, MD. Director, Hematology Consult and Graduate Medical Education Section, NHLBI
- Shelly Sahu, MD. Assistant Research Clinician, Hematology Consult and Graduate Medical Education Section, NHLBI
- Christopher Pleyer, MD. Staff Clinician, Hematology Consult and Graduate Medical Education Section, NHLBI
- Charles S. Hesdorffer, MD. Special Volunteer, Hematology Consult and Graduate Medical Education Section, NHLBI
Didactic Education
The are regulary daily rounds for teaching and patient-care purposes. Journal club and fellowship conference on hematolgoy and/or hematolgoy malignancies are held each week. Well-known hematologists are invited monthly to present a seminar on the clinical and research interests and to meet with fellows and residents. Conferences devoted to case presentations and special topics are also held in which each patient or topic is discussed by intramural or extramural experts in the relevant fields. Visiting residents particiapte fully in all educational activities are offered as components of our active hematology oncology fellowship program.
Eligibility Requirements
Residents must be currently enrolled, and in good standing, in an Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited internal medicine program in the United States (US) at the time of application for an elective rotation. Foreign medical school graduates must have ECFMG certification.
Selection of Applicants
All applicants will be expected to provide COVID-19 vaccination verification.