Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship
Learn more about residencies and fellowships at the University of South Alabama and life on the Gulf Coast.
Welcome to the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute Hematology and Medical Oncology
Fellowship program. We are delighted that you have taken interest in our program and
are glad you have taken the time to visit our website for more information. We accept
two fellows per year to our ACGME-accredited three-year program.
Our mission is to train future generations of competent hematology and medical oncologists.
Our graduates are trained to demonstrate excellence in clinical care, patient-based
translational research, quality improvement and cancer prevention. We are uniquely
positioned to provide solid hematology and medical oncology training because of our
patient base that represent minorities and our team that consist of laboratory and
clinical research faculty, expert clinical disease-focused multidisciplinary team
and clinical trials (including phase 1) comprehensive program.
Our training is well-structured to provide an independent environment, yet it ensures
adequate supervision. The training is well balanced between clinical duties and protected
time for each fellow to tailor their training to their future career plans. During
their protected time, fellows can work with their mentors/teams on their clinical
education, research, quality improvement projects, cancer prevention program, develop
teaching skills required to be a physician educator or a variety of other pursuits.
Our fellows have direct access to faculty that provide mentorship. A high faculty-to-fellows
ratio affords a significant level of individual attention, and our faculty is dedicated
to helping fellows achieve their goals.
Our culture encourages curiosity and challenges assumptions as we push each other
to improve the health of patients. We sincerely believe in our stated mission: "We
help people lead longer, better lives." As a fellow in the division of Hematology
and Medical Oncology, you will be a part of this culture, these people, and this mission.
We know you will find many unique features at USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute
that make this an exciting and challenging place to pursue your career in oncology.
- Adequately tailor fellowship training to prepare hematology and medical oncology fellows
for their specific career interest (i.e. academic or private practice) while still
ensuring competent training with the broad skill set needed to treat cancer, contribute
to science, educate students and trainees and participate in quality improvement and
cancer prevention.
- Train fellows to care for patients in all stages of cancer and blood disorders. Fellows
will provide consultation on risk reduction, prevention, adjuvant, curative and palliative
uses of chemotherapy.
- Fellows will appraise and assimilate scientific evidence and continuously improve
patient care based on constant self-evaluation and life-long learning in an educational
environment built on evidence-based practice.
- Train fellows to participate in multidisciplinary teams that focus on patient-centered and tailored treatment plans appropriate to the individual goals of the patient.
The Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship Program is a three-year program designed
to provide the fellow with the education, training, and clinical skills necessary
to pursue an academic career in Hematology and Medical Oncology medicine. Teaching
facilities include the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute and the USA Health University Hospital.
All fellows will participate in research during their training with the intent to train academic physicians. Research time is provided in order to maximize opportunities for career interests to develop. Fellows may choose mentors and projects ranging from clinical research to basic science research at the Mitchell Cancer Institute. Fellows are expected to present their research at local and international conferences and to prepare manuscripts for publication.
Omar Alkharabsheh, M.D.
Program Director
Associate Professor
Hematologic Oncology
Brian E. Persing, M.D.
Division Director, Medical Oncology; Associate Program Director; Arlene and Mayer
Mitchell Chair of Medical Oncology; Assistant Professor of Medical Oncology
Ahmed Abdalla, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Gastrointestinal Oncology
Thomas W. Butler, M.D.
Associate Professor
Palliative/Supportive Care
Daniel Cameron, M.D.
Associate Professor
General Oncology
Nabin Karki, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Genitourinary Oncology
Pranitha Prodduturvar, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Thoracic
Zachary M. Trisel, M.D.
Assistant Professor
General Oncology
We offer a fully integrated, three-year hematology and medical oncology program. The
36 months of training incorporates in-patient rotation, hematology and medical oncology
specialties rotation, benign hematology rotation, stem cell transplant and research.
The remaining rotations are selected by each fellow according to their interest and
their future desired career. Our program offers flexibility during this time period
in which fellows can pursue a wide range of interests. Some of the opportunities include
spending time in a basic science laboratory, developing skills in clinical and translational
research, training in quality improvement projects and developing teaching skills
required to be a clinician educator. Our fellows are encouraged to pursue scholarly
activities and research projects and compete for national and international presentations
and awards.
The general structure of the rotations is listed below, with each rotation lasting approximately one month:
In-patient Rotation:
- In-Patient rotation at University Hospital
Hematology and Medical Oncology Specialties Rotations:
- Benign Hematology
- Breast Medical Oncology
- Gastrointestinal (GI) Oncology
- Genitourinary (GU) Oncology
- Head and Neck Oncology
- Hematologic Malignancies
- Hematopathology
- Melanoma and Cutaneous Malignancies
- Neuro Oncology
- Palliative/Supportive Care
- Soft Tissue Sarcoma
- Thoracic Oncology
- Transfusion Medicine
Stem Cell Transplant Rotation:
- Stem Cell Transplant at The University of Alabama
Elective Rotations
- Gynecologic Oncology
- Surgical Oncology
- Radiation oncology
- Pathology
- Radiology
- Interventional Radiology
- Endocrine Oncology
Research
- Clinical Research
- Translational Research
- Basic science Research
- Quality Improvement research
Fellows have formal education through clinical teaching, tumor boards, didactic lectures and other educational conferences. See other didactic lectures.
First-year fellows participate in an Introduction to Research Series, in which leaders
at USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute highlight research opportunities that fellows
can pursue throughout their time in the program. Fellows hear from each department
about topics that include:
- Support for Grant Writing
- Basic Science Research
- Clinical Research
- Translational Research
- Quality Improvement Projects
First-Year Fellows
Samuel C. Hall, D.O.
Hometown: Brookhaven, Mississippi
Undergraduate: Mississippi College
Medical School: William Carey University, College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: Internal Medicine, University of South Alabama
Abraham Titus, M.D.
Hometown: Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Medical School: Avalon University School of Medicine
Residency: Internal Medicine, Marshall University School of Medicine
Second-Year Fellows
Sana Ozair, M.D.
Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida
Undergraduate: University of South Alabama
Medical School: University of South Alabama College of Medicine
Residency: Internal Medicine, University of South Alabama
Gaurav Sharma, M.D.
Hometown: New Delhi, India
Undergraduate/Medical School: Seth GS Medical College, Mumbai, India
Residency: University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL
Third-Year Fellows
Anita Mazloom, M.D.
Hometown: San Jose, California
Undergraduate: Brown University
Graduate: Georgetown University
Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine
Residency: Internal Medicine, New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital - Weill Cornell Medical College
Daisy Escobar, M.D.
Hometown: Sun Valley, California
Undergraduate: University of California Los Angeles
Medical School: Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara Facultad de Medicina Guadalajara
Residency: University of South Alabama
Program Alumni
Delmer Montoya, M.D.
Hometown: El Progresso, Honduras
Medical School: Catholic University of Honduras
Residency: Internal Medicine, Canton Medical Education Foundation
Fellowship: Hospice and Palliative Care, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Plans after Mitchell Cancer Institute Medical Oncology Fellowship: Arizona Oncology Tucson, AZ
Alhareth Alsayed, M.D.
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Medical School: Damascus University, Faculty of Medicine
Residency: Internal Medicine, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University
Plans after Mitchell Cancer Institute Medical Oncology Fellowship: CGH Medical Center Sterling, IL
Pranitha Prodduturvar, M.D.
Hometown: Nirmal, India
Medical School: Govt Medical College
Residency: Saint Joseph Hospital
Fellowship: Hospice and Palliative Care, University of Chicago
Plans after Mitchell Cancer Institute Medical Oncology Fellowship: Thoracic Oncology Fellowship at Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN
Ashish Manne, M.D.
Hometown: Hyderabad, India
Residency: Internal Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Fellowship: Transfusion Medicine and Blood Banking, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Plans after Mitchell Cancer Institute Medical Oncology Fellowship: Gastroenterology Cancer Faculty at Ohio State University
Sunil Badami, M.D.
Hometown: Vijayapura
Medical School: Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute
Residency: Internal Medicine, Hurley Medical Center/MSU, Flint, Mich.
Fellowship: Hospice and Palliative Care, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Zachary Trisel, M.D.
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Undergraduate: University of Cincinnati
Medical School: University of Medicine and Health Sciences
Residency: Internal Medicine, Drexel University
Contact Us
Program Director: Omar Alkharabsheh, M.D. - oalkharabsheh@health.southalabama.edu
Associate Program Director: Brian Persing, M.D - bpersing@health.southalabama.edu
Program Coordinator: Leah Musgrove - lmusgrove@health.southalabama.edu
Telephone: (251) 445-8401