Mass General Brigham/DFCI Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship

Overview

The Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship is a 24-month clinical oncology training program provided by Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The program employs an apprenticeship-style approach combined with intensive multidisciplinary experience in the management of GI, hepatobiliary, pancreas, breast, endocrine, cutaneous (melanoma), and soft tissue sarcoma malignancies.

Program Objectives

• To train surgical oncologists who will become national leaders in cancer treatment and research.
• To emphasize the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to cancer care.
• To familiarize fellows with the full armamentarium of treatments currently available to combat individual malignancies, as well as all relevant investigational therapies.
• To teach fellows how to conduct cancer research and design, lead new treatment protocols and facilitate the transfer of new discoveries from the laboratory into clinical practice.
• To teach the critical importance of the role of the patient and family support during all phases of the treatment process.
• To facilitate the understanding of the social and economic aspects of cancer treatment in an environment that emphasizes the highest levels of compassion and ethics.
• To ensure that graduating fellows are well-equipped to successfully pass the written and oral board examinations in complex surgical oncology.

Quick Facts

• Rotations at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital.
• One fellow per year.
• August 1 start date.
• Eighteen months of clinical oncology training: Gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, pancreas, breast, endocrine, cutaneous (melanoma) and soft tissue sarcoma malignancies
• Twelve months of surgical oncology.
• One month of medical oncology.
• One month of radiation oncology.
• One month of pathology.
• One month of palliative care/supportive medicine
• Two months of surgical electives.
• Six months of research training.
• Apprenticeship approach.
• Multidisciplinary training.
• Application deadline is mid-January.

Faculty

Brigham and Women's Hospital is a scientific, clinical and academic powerhouse with a long history of firsts. We foster a shared commitment to predict, prevent and treat the world's toughest cancers. Our collaborations are changing the future of oncological care worldwide.

Our culture in providing excellence in multidisciplinary patient care, teaching and research affords an exceptional environment for clinical training and participation in exciting advances in basic and clinical research.

Committed to teaching and mentoring the next generation of surgeons and leaders in medicine, our faculty are comprised of experienced oncologists, who impart a breadth of knowledge and expertise during clinic and the operating room. In addition, basic and clinical research mentors provide many research opportunities for fellows.

Program Director

Mark Fairweather, MD
mfairweather@bwh.harvard.edu

Teaching Facilities

Brigham and Women’s Hospital is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area in Boston, Massachusetts. It is Harvard Medical School's second largest teaching affiliate. Along with Massachusetts General Hospital, it is one of the two founding members of Mass General Brigham, the largest health care provider in Massachusetts. Brigham and Women's Hospital is an international leader in virtually every area of medicine and has been the site of pioneering breakthroughs that have improved lives around the world.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) provides care to children and adults with cancer, while advancing the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, cure, and prevention of cancer and related diseases. Dana-Farber cares for adults with cancer in specialized treatment centers focused on specific cancer types such as; lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, cutaneous (melanoma) cancer, breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, genitourinary cancer, gynecologic cancer, head and neck cancer, hematology, melanoma, neuro-oncology, sarcoma and thoracic (lung) cancer.

As an affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, DFCI also provides training for new generations of physicians and scientists, designs programs that promote public health, particularly among under-resourced populations, and disseminates innovative patient therapies and scientific discoveries to target communities across the United States and throughout the world.

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) is located in the heart of Boston. MGH has five multidisciplinary care centers to offer patients comprehensive, state-of-the-art medical care. In addition, Mass General Brigham for Children provides a full range of pediatric health care services, from primary care to treatments for complex and rare disorders.

For more information on our teaching facilities and other educational resources, please visit the Mass General Brigham Office of Graduate Medical Education

Curriculum

• 6 months surgical oncology rotations at MGH
• 6 months surgical oncology rotations at BWH/DFCI
• 3 months required non-surgical rotations: medical oncology, radiation oncology, pathology (BWH/DFCI)
• Electives in colorectal cancer; palliative care; clinical research design

Fellows work directly with two to three faculty members at a time within a specific disease discipline.

Research Experience

Minimum six months of clinical, basic science, or outcomes research under direction of a senior research scientist at Harvard Medical School and affiliates. The amount of time spent in this part of the fellowship will vary depending upon whether the trainee has already had formal research training. The timing of research electives is flexible to accommodate specific goals.

How to apply

Requirements

• Completed residency in an ACGME-accredited general surgery program in the US or Canada
• ECFMG certification for foreign graduates

How to apply

We require the following documents to be available for download through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) for an application to be reviewed:

• Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Medical school transcript
• Personal statement
• Three to five letters of recommendation
• USMLE transcript
• ABS in-training exam scores (on application)

For more information about applications, deadlines, and supporting documentation, please visit the Society of Surgical Oncology website.

Each application is reviewed in its entirety with a focus toward a combination of overall academic excellence, leadership ability, career development potential and personal character.

We interview approximately 20 candidates for the fellowship. Although we receive applications from many well-qualified candidates, it is not possible to interview all who apply.

We have conducted interviews for the 2026 recruitment season. For the fellowship starting August 1, 2028, we will conduct interviews in May, 2027.

The interview day begins with an introduction by the program director. Following the introduction, each candidate will meet with faculty from BWH and MGH. Current fellows will be on hand throughout the day to meet informally with the candidates between interviews.