University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Seattle, Washington

Program Director: Meghan Flanagan, MD, MPH

The University of Washington Medical Center is a nonprofit medical center and tertiary and quaternary referral center for the greater Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho (WWAMI) region. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is also an independent, nonprofit organization, that serves as UW Medicine’s cancer program. Since its designation as a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Comprehensive Cancer Center in 1973, the Fred Hutch/University of Washington Cancer Consortium has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in cancer research and treatment.

About the Program

Length of program: 1 year (August – July)
Number of positions: 1 per academic year

The University of Washington / Fred Hutch Cancer Center will select one fellow each year to participate in the program’s multidisciplinary Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship. Candidates must have completed a general surgery residency and be board-eligible or board-certified.

The Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship is integrated across two clinical sites (University of Washington Medical Center – Northwest, Fred Hutch Cancer Center – South Lake Union) and two operative sites (University of Washington Medical Center – Montlake and Northwest). Fellows will have the opportunity to rotate through two distinct clinical environments that share a common focus on evidence-based practice and common care pathways. Multidisciplinary care is a major focus at each site, and the fellow will have exposure to different styles of tumor boards, case reviews and models for multidisciplinary care.

Rotations

The fellowship program includes dedicated rotations in breast surgery, medical oncology, pathology, radiation oncology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and breast imaging. The breast fellow will spend six to seven months on the breast surgical service where they will learn about the management of benign and malignant breast conditions, including patients with high-risk genetic mutations.  They will work with and mentor general surgery categorical and preliminary residents rotating on their breast/endocrine rotation. Across two operative sites fellows will be exposed to multiple types of breast surgical techniques including wireless and wire localized lumpectomies, sentinel node biopsies and axillary lymph node dissections with axillary reverse mapping, flat aesthetic closure after simple mastectomy, as well as skin and nipple sparing mastectomies. Fellows will also participate in a variety of oncoplastic and mastectomy reconstructive techniques while on the breast surgery and plastic surgery rotations, including microsurgical techniques such as free flaps and lymphatic microsurgical preventive healing approach (LYMPHA).

The remaining multidisciplinary rotations provide focused opportunities to gain a deep understanding of both the fundamentals and intricacies of multidisciplinary oncologic care, while also enabling the fellow to collaborate with various faculty members across different specialties. These rotations also offer several distinctive features, such as exposure to proton therapy, integrative oncology, and palliative and spiritual care. Fellows will also have the opportunity to engage in patient enrollment for clinical trials in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team.

Each fellow will be allocated 4 weeks of dedicated research time, during which they will receive formalized clinical research training tailored to their interests and prior experience. During this period, they will also work on a research project chosen at the start of the fellowship, with the goal of submitting abstracts and presenting findings at national conferences later in the fellowship year.

Program Faculty

     Breast Surgery Faculty

• Dr. Meghan Flanagan (Program Director)
• Dr. Sara Javid (Breast Surgery Section Chief)
• Dr. Kris Calhoun
• Dr. Emily Palmquist
• Dr. Claire Buchanan
• Dr. Alison Perrin

     Site Directors

• Dr. Isaac Stein (Plastic Surgery)
• Dr. Lynn Symonds (Medical Oncology)
• Dr. Janice Kim (Radiation Oncology)
• Dr. Jesse Fan (Psychosocial Oncology)
• Dr. Matthew Phelps (Radiology)
• Dr. Rebeca Alvarez (Pathology)

Presentations and Publications

Fellows will present new patients at the multidisciplinary tumor board at Northwest and participate in a bi-weekly multidisciplinary clinic at South Lake Union. During each conference, radiology and pathology are reviewed, and personalized treatment plans are developed for each patient. Opportunities for clinical trial enrollment are discussed, and fellows will actively participate in patient recruitment for trials. Additionally, on Fridays, fellows will engage in cross-site multidisciplinary discussions of complex cases.

Throughout the year, there will be opportunities for fellows to engage in community outreach and educational events aimed at local referring providers. Past topics have included high-risk screening, genetic assessments, and advancements in the surgical management of breast cancer. Fellows will also have the chance to present updates on surgical techniques at quarterly cross-site faculty meetings and to summarize key studies at the spring breast surgery meetings for the multidisciplinary team.

Fellows receive mentorship in evaluating scientific publications and preparing research results for submission to peer-reviewed medical or scientific journals. Additionally, they are encouraged to present their research findings at local and national conferences and aim to have manuscripts published or ready for publication before completing the fellowship.

Eligibility

Fellowship is available to citizens of the United States who have graduated from an accredited general surgery residency program.

How to Apply

We will be participating in the 2025 match for a start date of August 1, 2026. Applications are accepted through NMS. Completion of an ACGME accredited general surgery residency in the US is required.

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