Emerging Thoracic Surgical Oncologist Fellowship

Program Overview

The Emerging Thoracic Surgical Oncologist Fellowship was established in 2020 by the AATS Foundation to improve lung cancer treatment by fostering multidisciplinary knowledge and innovation through a broadened educational experience available to young thoracic surgeons. This program supports the next generation of medical professionals who will ultimately shape the future of thoracic surgical oncology. The major aim of this initiative is to improve the outcomes of patients with thoracic malignancies, lung cancer in particular, in both academic and community practices.

Acceptance into the program includes the following:

Award of up to $7,500 for two North American fellows or up to $15,000 for one international fellow to participate in a 4-week fellowship with select AATS host institutions with expertise focused on general thoracic surgical oncology and the multidisciplinary management of cancer patients;
Travel grants covering airfare, lodging, and registration fees for fellow(s) to attend the 2022 AATS Annual Meeting (up to $2,000) and 2022 International Thoracic Surgical Oncology Summit (up to $1,000) to further enhance their educational experience;
Participation in webinars.

Eligibility

To be eligible for an award, applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:

Completed formal training in general surgery and in thoracic surgery prior to the start of the fellowship, with general thoracic surgery as their primary specialty;
Have an academic or hospital appointment;
Be in their first seven years post thoracic training;
Candidates from all training programs worldwide are welcome to apply;
Fluency in English and meeting all necessary prerequisites for travel to and from the host training center such as visa and license requirements are mandatory.

Hosts

A number of AATS host surgeons/institutions who are experienced in thoracic surgical oncology have partnered with the AATS Foundation on this initiative. Interested applicants have the option to select their own host institution with approval from host. If selecting host institution outside of suggested host sponsors, applicant is required to contact the program of their choice and obtain a letter of agreement from host surgeon to be submitted with their application. Potential hosts are listed below.

Shanda H. Blackmon, MD, Mayo Clinic
Yolonda L. Colson, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital
Thomas A. D’Amico, MD, Duke University
David R. Jones, MD, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
James D. Luketich, MD, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Brendon M. Stiles, MD, New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College
Scott J. Swanson, MD, Brigham & Women’s Hospital
Mara B. Antonoff, MD, Wayne L. Hofstetter, MD, and Jack A. Roth, MD, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Stephen C. Yang, MD, John Hopkins Hospital

Curriculum

The curriculum will be largely defined by the host institution but will include topics such as:

Observation in the operating room of thoracic surgical oncology procedures
Observation of multidisciplinary clinic visits for patients with thoracic malignancies
Participation in staging conferences and multidisciplinary tumor boards
Review of ongoing neoadjuvant and adjuvant clinical trials in lung cancer
Updates and overview on molecular testing in advanced and early stage lung cancer
Overview of clinical research, clinical trial design, and translational research
Overview of biobanking, and clinical database development
Strategy sessions regarding abstract writing, grantsmanship, and industry collaborations

Application Process

In addition to a formal online application, candidates are required to upload the following materials:

Curriculum Vitae;
Letter of support from his/her current attending surgeon or future department chair/division chief;
One to two page narrative to include: (1) what you hope to accomplish during your observational fellowship at the host institution; (2) how you will utilize the skills you have observed and will implement at your home institution; (3) relationship of the planned study to your prior experience, preparation and professional goals; (4) statement of your future career goals.

Review Process

AATS Foundation’s review committee, which includes surgeons with recognized expertise in thoracic surgical oncology, will review all applications and select awardees within 45 days of application deadline. Applications will be graded on all aspects of the award criteria. At the conclusion of their experience, a final report is required for submission to the Foundation in which the recipient must include a count of the number of patients impacted during their training.