GILBERT, Ariz. (Oct. 8, 2020) – Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center is launching the nation’s first Advance Practice Surgical Oncology Fellowship, providing high-level surgical training and specialty knowledge to advanced practice medical providers from across the country.

The 13-month, first-of-its-kind program is tailored to nurse practitioners and physician assistants, providing the exposure, experience and expertise to perform at the highest level of their scope. The program began Oct. 5 and includes more than 2,000 mentored hours in direct patient care through Banner MD Anderson’s centers in Gilbert, Phoenix, Sun City West and Sun City.

Fellows will rotate through many surgical oncology subspecialties, including breast, colorectal, thoracic, head and neck, urology and complex reconstructive plastic surgery, to name a few. The program will culminate with eight weeks of subspecialty training and refinement in the fellow’s specific area of interest.

“This program will allow the fellows to gain exposure to various aspects of multidisciplinary care,” said Rosemary Bloom, fellowship program director at Banner MD Anderson. “They’ll have many opportunities to develop skills and knowledge that will greatly enhance their ability to make a difference in the lives of cancer patients.”

Two fellows will take part in the first year of the program. They will serve as members of a care team that provides and coordinates medical, surgical and other specialty care to patients under the guidance of a supervising physician in various settings.

For more information about the program, contact Bloom at 480-256-5397 or visit www.BannerHealth.com/SurgicalOncologyFellowship.

About Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center

Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, located on the Banner Gateway campus, delivers cancer care to patients in Arizona through the partnership of Banner Health and MD Anderson Cancer Center. Banner MD Anderson offers focused disease-specific expertise in the medical, radiation and surgical management of the cancer patient; an evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach to patient care; access to clinical trials and new investigative therapies; state-of-the-art technology for the diagnosis, staging and treatment of all types of cancer; oncology expertise in supportive care services. For more information, visit www.BannerMDAnderson.com.