hematology / oncology rotation
This is a two-week Hematology/Oncology rotation with both outpatient and inpatient clinical responsibilities. You will also be expected to attend multiple other educational experiences, including Tumor Boards and Virtual Hematology Conference at WHC. There is also the opportunity to participate in Bone Marrow Biopsies in the biopsy clinic on Friday Mornings. We hope you enjoy your experience on the VA Hematology/Oncology rotation.
on your first day
Please present to the Hematology Clinic on 2C North at 8AM. Generally the fellow should be present to help orient you. Otherwise, please introduce yourself to the attending. If you have issues with logging in please call the TMS hotline at 58129 or come to the chiefs office on 4C across from the Freedom Auditorium for assistance.
location
This rotation will be take place at the DC VA Medical Center. You will be predominantly located in the Hematology/Oncology clinic on 2C North, as well as the Hematology offices on 4D. Lectures and other conferences will be a mix of in-person and virtual learning. Please see the Weekly Schedule below for more information.
typical day
Generally, your schedule will be Monday through Friday, 8:00am – 6:00pm (or earlier if all the clinical work is done and the Fellow/Attending approve). You will have Heme clinic (and potentially heme inpatient consults) in the morning, and Oncology clinic (and potentially inpatient onc consults) in the afternoon.
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didactics
You are required to participate in all the Internal Medicine Residency Program lectures during this rotation. Virtual Noon Conference is given every day from 12:00-1:00pm. This includes general Noon Conference (on Zoom), Grand Rounds (most Wednesdays, on Webex) and Life Conference (most Fridays, on Webex). On days when there is no Grand Rounds or Life Conference, there will be a regular Chief-led Noon Conference in person or on Zoom.
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You are also expected to attend the in-person Resident Report every Thursday from 2:00-3:00pm in the Conference Room adjacent to the Chiefs’ Office on 4C. You will be joined by the other six residents on VA Wards Service for Resident Report.
In addition, the Heme/Onc rotation has additional specialty lectures that you are required to attend. These include the Hematology Virtual Case Conference on Friday mornings and the Hematology Case Conference w/Dr. Schecter on Friday afternoons. You will attend these conferences with the Hematology Fellow – please make sure you ask the Fellow what room you need to be in/how to access the virtual conference.
You will also be expected to attend Thoracic Tumor Board and Liver Tumor Board. Thoracic Tumor Board is held every Thursday from 1-2p. Liver Tumor Board is held from 12:30-1:30pm on the 2nd and 4 th Wednesdays of every month. There is an opportunity to attend other Tumor Boards, i.e. Breast or GI, depending on whether there are cases to be discussed, whether clinical responsibilities permit, and depending on the individual rotator’s interest (see schedule below). Please speak with the Attending/Fellow on Service during your rotation if you would like to attend one of these other Tumor Boards.
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Breast Tumor Board – 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month, 1:00-2:00pm
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GI Tumor Board – Every other Thursday, 8:00-9:00am
Procedures
You may have the opportunity to perform a bone marrow biopsy during this rotation. The Bone Marrow Biopsy clinic is held on Fridays at 9:00am. All bone marrow biopsies performed during this rotation should be logged into MedHub with the Attending listed as the Supervisor/Certifier. Please note that while Fellows can supervise procedures, they are not able to certify procedures in MedHub. You must list the Attending as the Supervisor in MedHub.
Feedback
You will receive a Rotation Evaluation in MedHub at the end of your Rotation in which you can provide feedback.