University of Colorado’s Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program

About the gynecologic oncology fellowship program

The University of Colorado’s gynecologic oncology fellowship is a three-year program dedicated to educating obstetrician-gynecologists in the comprehensive care of women with cancer of the reproductive organs. The fellowship also fosters development of future physician-scientists and leaders within the field of gynecologic oncology.

The program takes place on the University of Colorado’s new state-of-the-art, Anschutz Medical Campus. Fellows have the opportunity to partake in a tradition of stable leadership and strong cooperation that is a signature of obstetrics and gynecology, gynecologic oncology and the University of Colorado Cancer Center.

Throughout the program, fellows are immersed in all aspects of gynecologic oncology including prevention, detection, treatment and outreach.

How it works

In the first year of the fellowship, participants are devoted to the study of basic science and translational research in gynecologic oncology. The second and third years are dedicated to clinical care, building on the foundation of the first year’s studies, and acquiring increasing knowledge, skills and attendant responsibility.

Fellows of the program utilize an integrated, collaborative molecular and cellular biology laboratory dedicated specifically to research in gynecologic oncology. They will receive mentorship from four, senior board-certified attending gynecologic oncologists, each trained at a different institution and providing diversity in faculty experience and oversight.

In addition, fellows lead rounds and teach the practical aspects of inpatient care to residents and medical students while attending staff oversees key decisions.

Why University of Colorado’s program?

In 2013, over 95,000 women were diagnosed with gynecologic cancer in the United States. Yet many women who need high-quality care do not have access to a gynecologic oncologist. For example, there are only 11 in the state of Colorado. As one of the only training programs of its kind to service the Western region of the U.S. (the next closest are in California and Oklahoma), our program provides an opportunity for young doctors in this area to receive high-quality specialized gynecologic oncology training.

The gynecologic oncology fellowship offers a unique and structured teaching format at two different practice sites, the University of Colorado Hospital (UCHealth) and the public Denver Health Medical Center (DHMC). Access to DHMC is an integral part of the graduate medical education program, as it provides care to the uninsured population of Denver and shares all faculty and residents with UCHealth. Furthermore, fellows provide excellent care to the low-income patients of DHMC, many of whom could not afford to see a specialist otherwise.

Since its inception in 1987, the University of Colorado Cancer Center has been striving for excellence in the quality of its research, programs and cancer care. Indicators of our excellence and impact include:

• NCI designations: The National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation acknowledges our excellence in laboratory, clinical and population-based research. The world-class research programs lead to better approaches to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. CU Cancer Center was re-designated by NCI in 2012, the fourth renewal of this prestigious distinction.
• NCCN designation: The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) is a group of 23 institutions that pool their expertise to define how cancer should be treated. For each disease, the NCCN defines a set of guidelines – for example, guidelines that describe how to treat such gynecologic cancers as ovarian and uterine. Many doctors at hospitals and research centers outside the NCCN follow these guidelines, while CU Cancer Center and others within the NCCN network develop the guidelines. In March 2013, The CU Cancer Center became an NCCN member due to recognition of our excellent cancer research, prevention and treatment.
• National rankings: U.S. News & World Report ranks more than 900 hospitals for the quality of their cancer care, based on factors including prestige, survival rates, nurse staffing and more. The University of Colorado Hospital, our adult clinical partner, ranks in the top 15 for cancer care.

The University of Colorado Hospital has been named the highest-performing academic hospital in the United States for delivering quality healthcare for two consecutive years (2011 and 2012). No other hospital has received this honor two times consecutively. This award is given annually by the University Health System Consortium, an alliance of 116 academic medical centers.

• Consortium Cancer Center: The University of Colorado Cancer Center is a consortium cancer center, the third established in the country, and includes affiliates from nine locations, conducting research at such institutions as the Anschutz Medical Campus, CU-Boulder and Colorado State University. The number of locations where we deliver patient care is growing with the recent establishment of the University of Colorado Health, which includes treatment centers and hospitals from Colorado Springs to Denver to Fort Collins and into Wyoming.