Intensive training, discovery, and innovation

From medical and radiation oncology, from pathology to surgical specialties, you’ll be an integral part of patient care when you choose a fellowship in Surgical Oncology at Roswell Park.

As a free-standing NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, our translational medicine model connects fellows with clinicians, researchers and specialists who understand every aspect of cancer science.

Fellowship highlights

During your fellowship, you’ll develop and strengthen skills in both surgical decision-making and operative technique. Fellows easily meet ACGME required case minimums in all categories.

Our comprehensive program of courses and lectures provides fundamental knowledge of:

John Kane in Surgery
  • Tumor biology
  • Molecular genetics
  • Epidemiology
  • Biostatistics
  • Radiation principles
  • Protocol development
  • Screening and early detection
  • Pain management
  • End-of-life issues

It’s the perfect size of fellowship and our fellow: faculty ratio allows for a true apprenticeship model that fosters healthy learning opportunities and a vibrant exchange of ideas. Immersive 3 month rotations allow fellows to build depth of knowledge, clinical and operative skills and progressive autonomy in the operating room.

If you’re looking towards an academic position, you’ll have opportunities to teach medical students and surgery residents as well. Rotating junior residents and medical students from the University at Buffalo (UB) provide opportunities for teaching and mentorship.

Surgical training

Roswell Park is a national leader in not only minimally invasive procedures, but limb- and organ-conserving surgeries as well. In fact, we have one of the highest volume robotic esophagectomy and gastrectomy programs in the country.

Roswell Park’s surgical oncology expertise also includes:

  • High volume robotics pancreas resection, both pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomies
  • Large volume of complex open liver resections and a developing MIS liver program
  • Established high volume robotics colorectal program, including exposure to TEM and TAMIS
  • Strong HIPEC and sarcoma programs, including complex extremity and retroperitoneal sarcoma resections
  • One of few centers performing isolated limb infusion
  • Breast-conserving surgery for more than 75% of women with early-stage breast cancer, performed at a nationally-recognized breast cancer treatment center with one of the most well-documented outcomes for breast surgery.

Your Structured Robotics curriculum includes access to the latest Intuitive Surgical Simulator and quarterly organized joint cadaver labs with University at Buffalo residents in UB’s state-of-the-art medical school facility.

Multidisciplinary and collaborative environment

The close collaboration of Roswell Park’s clinicians and scientists nurtures an intellectually fertile atmosphere with immense potential for discovery and innovation.

Nearly all program faculty are full-time members of Roswell Park’s clinical and scientific staff and the Departments of Surgery of the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Clinical rotations are disease-site specific and built around faculty expertise in specific types of cancers. You’ll take part in the full spectrum of case management, including preoperative evaluation, multidisciplinary discussion, treatment and postoperative follow-up of the same cohort of patients over several months.

Because Roswell Park faculty provide long-term surveillance for their patients, you’ll also become familiar with follow-up strategies and the evaluation and treatment of recurrent disease.

Meet our team


Research opportunities

During your fellowship, you’ll have protected time to pursue your own academic and research interests as well as clinical rotations and the opportunity for one elective month. Research opportunities abound in every area, from basic and translation science to outcomes and quality of care.

You’ll have four dedicated months of research, divided between first- and second-year rotations allow for longitudinal projects.

Each year, you’ll complete at least two academic projects for national presentation and peer-reviewed publication. A few of our recent publications include:

In addition to our own world-class Shared Resources, we share resources with the Structural Biology Research Center at the Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute and the New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences of the University at Buffalo.

Direct patient care

Your patient care responsibilities during your fellowship will require no emergency room coverage. There is also no general surgery coverage or call. With a large complement of fellows on a relatively light call schedule, you’ll have a 1 in 8 weekend call. 

You’ll be backed by our strong support staff, including APPs for floor coverage both day and night, as well as in each clinic.

Accreditation & affiliation

Roswell Park’s Surgical Oncology Fellowship is fully approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). We are affiliated with the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Our curriculum is approved by the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO)

Eligibility & how to apply

  • You must have completed your residency training in general surgery
  • You must be qualified to sit for the American Board of Surgery exam

We use the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP)to review applications, offer interviews, and rank candidates. This process starts approximately one and a half years prior to the start of fellowship and interviews are held in the spring.

Start your Match process

Contact us

For more information about the Surgical Oncology fellowship at Roswell Park, connect with:

Carrie Racsumberger headshot
Carrie Racsumberger, MS
Graduate Medical Education Coordinator
Phone: 716-845-2359
Email: Carrie.Racsumberger@RoswellPark.org