Multidisciplinary Care and Disease-Specific Services

A hallmark of the clinical fellowship is that the rotations are concentrated into organ-site specific areas with faculty who specialize and are experts in that specific disease site. This provides the fellows with a focused experience in that area of surgical oncology without being pulled to other competing services or cases. They are integrally involved in the multidisciplinary evaluation, treatment planning, and surgical care of these cases as well as the didactic and scientific programs of each group. This specialization allows for the educational program to be highly focused during the fellow’s rotation on a given service. The fellow also participates in weekly case conferences on that service.

All of the clinical services at RP are provided in multidisciplinary clinics in collaboration with medical and radiation oncology. Additional support services are also available in these clinics ranging from genetics, imaging, nursing support, psychology, social service, and patient education. In most clinics, the surgical oncology service provides the initial evaluation of new cancer patients. The clinic experience provides the opportunity for interaction with colleagues from other disciplines for true multidisciplinary treatment planning.

Roswell Park’s rich multidisciplinary model affords fellows the opportunity to learn from clinicians and basic scientists of the highest caliber, and to develop a broad understanding of the connections between various aspects of cancer research. The impact of training in this setting is evident in the professional choices of Roswell Park’s surgical fellows: most accepting positions that combine academic, research and clinical interests.

• All clinical and didactic programs are centered exclusively on fellows in the respective disciplines, eliminating competition from surgical chief residents, fellows in other specialties and visiting fellows.
• Roswell Park’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center houses three minimally invasive surgery (MIS) suites, used for both MIS and open surgery. The suites are ergonomically designed and equipped with such advanced technology as flat-screen plasma monitors, 3-D imagery and voice and touch activated controls, and feature adjacent observation and teleconferencing rooms. Two suites are also equipped with the da Vinci® surgical robotic system, used for thoracic, GI, urologic, gynecologic, head and neck, and neurologic procedures.
• Fellows gain experience in surgical management of patients undergoing predominantly medical therapy.
• Fellows preparing for academic positions have the opportunity to teach University at Buffalo surgery residents and medical students who perform their general surgery rotations at Roswell Park.