Fellowship Program Overview

The Division of Gynecologic Oncology is an integral part of the University of Virginia Cancer Center. The Cancer Center is part of an elite group of NCI-Designated Comprehensive Clinical Cancer Centers and is directed by Thomas P. Loughran, Jr., MD.

The first year of the Gynecologic Oncology fellowship will be devoted purely to research, with minimal clinical responsibilities ascribed to the fellow. Fellows have the option to pursue laboratory translational research during or pursue a Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH). The decision to join a wet laboratory or obtain an MPH should be made in the months prior to starting fellowship.

Residents interested in pursuing a dedicated research year have several opportunities within the department across areas such as health services, quality improvement, clinical trials, and translational science.

Opportunities in clinical trials are available through Dr. Duska’s program, which is supported by a full clinical trials team. Dr. Duska has successfully mentored residents and fellows, many of whom have presented at national meetings and published in peer-reviewed journals. Residents have also partnered with Dr. Ring, who has an active research program focused on addressing cancer disparities and improving access to care, particularly for rural patients. Dr. Ring is also engaged in national collaborative research projects and welcomes resident involvement. Dr. Huang is another option for residents interested in participating in clinical trials research.

For residents interested in translational or bench research, Dr. Kristin Anderson’s lab focuses on engineering T cells to overcome immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment, with a particular focus on ovarian and pancreatic cancers. Her work centers on modulating T cell metabolism to enhance persistence and efficacy, aiming to translate these discoveries into novel immunotherapies. Dr. Melanie Rutkowski’s lab investigates how the microbiome regulates immune system function and contributes to tumor-promoting inflammation. Her research explores how interactions between commensal microbes and the immune system influence tumor growth, metastasis, and response to therapies, including checkpoint inhibitors.

For those wishing to pursue an MPH, UVA will provide funding for the degree. Coursework is required, and the entire program and thesis must be completed in the first year of fellowship. Multiple avenues of investigation are available, including the mining of national databases, epidemiologic patterns of care studies, disparities research, and quality of life research.

Residents are encouraged to connect with Drs. Duska, Ring, or Huang, early to discuss potential projects and identify mentorship opportunities that align with their interests and long-term goals.

During the two clinical years of fellowship, fellows alternate weekly between working directly with Gyn Oncology faculty in the clinic and managing the inpatient service/operating rooms. Clinic fellows are pulled to the operating rooms when there are overlapping cases needing coverage, or for valuable cases such as debulkings, radical hysterectomies, inguinal node dissections, and exenterations. We sometimes work jointly with the GI surgical oncologists or urologists for less common procedures, with the Gyn Oncology fellow serving as the primary assist in these cases. The clinical programs are organized multidisciplinary care teams, divided by cancer site, each with participation by specialists from diagnostic imaging, the specific surgical discipline, radiation oncology, medical oncology, pathology, and specialty nurse coordinators. The Division of Gynecologic Oncology routinely recruits the highest percentage of patients to clinical trials of any division in the Cancer Center. The Division is a full member of the NRG and Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) and is approved for Phase I studies of the NRG.

Fellows will be expected to present their work at regional and national meetings. Travel money will be provided by the Gynecologic Oncology division for the fellows to attend scientific meetings for paper presentations and for participation in the program. The meetings will include the annual meetings of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists (SGO) and Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG). Fellows will also be encouraged to participate in the Society of Gynecologic Investigation, as well as the Mid-Atlantic Gynecologic Oncology Society.

In order to broaden the experience of the fellows, they will have two formal off-service rotations during the two clinical years. Currently, these rotations are two weeks of Radiation Oncology with Dr. Kara Romano during the first clinical year and Pathology with Dr. Anne Mills during the second clinical year.