Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program
Our fellowship program is committed to training the next generation of compassionate, visionary physician leaders who will transform care for children with cancer and blood disorders.
Aligned with our hospital system’s core values, “We Lift Everyone Up, We Lead the Way, We Think Boldly Together, and We Embrace the Unknown” — our program fosters excellence in clinical care, research, education, and community engagement.
Atrium Health Levine Children’s – Charlotte, North Carolina
We appreciate your interest in the Pediatric Hematology‑Oncology Fellowship Program at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital. A central mission of our Division of Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders is to provide fellows with the clinical expertise, scholarly foundation, mentorship, and leadership training required to develop into outstanding pediatric hematologists/oncologists. Our program emphasizes compassionate family‑centered care, academic rigor, and multidisciplinary collaboration.
Our ACGME‑accredited, three‑year fellowship program offers comprehensive clinical exposure across pediatric hematology, oncology, blood and marrow transplantation, and emerging cellular and immunotherapies, integrated with structured and protected research training. Fellows benefit from individualized mentorship allowing them to pursue investigative interests aligned with their long‑term career goals.
Clinical and Research Excellence
Our Cancer and Blood Disorders Department is a part of Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital, the largest children’s hospital between Atlanta and Washington, DC, and a nationally recognized referral center for complex pediatric cancer and blood disorders. Our program is consistently ranked among the nation’s best for pediatric cancer care by U.S. News & World Report and is the only children’s hospital in the Charlotte region to receive this distinction.
Levine Children’s is an active member of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), providing fellows access to national cooperative group trials and leadership‑driven clinical research efforts. In addition, fellows train within a rapidly expanding academic environment that includes a dedicated blood and marrow transplant and cellular therapies program, a developmental therapeutics program, and advanced radiation and molecular diagnostic capabilities.
Program Aims
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Provide Comprehensive Clinical Training Foster Inquiry and Research Excellence |
Develop Educators and Team Leaders Promote Advocacy and Community Engagement |
Multidisciplinary, Comprehensive Care
Fellows will complete training within the Division of Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders. A robust, multidisciplinary team of board certified pediatric hematologists/oncologists, transplant physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, psychologists, child life specialists, therapists, educators, and patient navigators supports our division. Fellows gain experience caring for children from infancy through young adulthood across a broad spectrum of malignant and non malignant conditions through specialized programs that include:
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Our patient population reflects a diverse and expansive regional catchment area across North Carolina, South Carolina, and surrounding southeastern states, offering exposure to a wide range of disease presentations, socioeconomic backgrounds, and healthcare needs.
Atrium Health and Academic Environment
Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital is nationally ranked in multiple pediatric specialties and recognized annually as a Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report, including national rankings in pediatric cancer. The hospital is part of Advocate Health, one of the largest nonprofit healthcare systems in the United States, providing fellows access to extensive clinical resources, academic infrastructure, and collaborative research opportunities across a large integrated network. Our academic Medical School is the Wake Forest School of Medicine, which has 4-year campuses both in Winston Salem and Charlotte. Fellows will be actively involved in teaching our residents who train at Charlotte and Medical Students who rotate at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital.
Recent investments include the opening of the Torrey Hemby Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders, a state‑of‑the‑art outpatient facility designed to advance pediatric oncology, hematology, transplant, and cellular therapy care while enhancing education and research opportunities.
Fellowship Curriculum:
Curriculum Summary
Atrium Health Levine Children’s Pediatric Hematology‑Oncology Fellowship Program
The Pediatric Hematology‑Oncology Fellowship at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital is a three‑year, ACGME‑accredited training program designed to develop fellows into independent pediatric hematologists/oncologists and future leaders in clinical care, education, research, and quality improvement. Training occurs at Carolinas Medical Center / Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital and is structured to provide a strong clinical foundation in the first year, followed by progressively protected scholarly time and individualized training through clinician‑educator or research career tracks.
The first year of fellowship focuses on intensive clinical training in pediatric hematology, oncology, and blood and marrow transplantation while introducing fellows to research planning and career development through electives.
Clinical Rotations
Fellows complete core clinical rotations including:
- Oncology (3 blocks)
- Hematology (3 blocks)
- Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapies (2 blocks)
These rotations provide comprehensive exposure to inpatient, consultative, and outpatient care. Fellows work closely with multidisciplinary teams under the supervision of experienced pediatric hematologists/oncologists.
Electives
Fellows complete three blocks (12 weeks) of required electives, including:
- One 4‑week elective in Palliative Care or Integrative Therapies/Supportive Care Medicine
- Four 2‑week electives:
- Blood Bank / Transfusion Medicine
- Hematopathology
- Radiation Oncology
- Palliative Care or Integrative therapies/Supportive care medicine
Elective experiences allow fellows to individualize training and explore subspecialty interests.
Research Planning and Continuity Clinic
- Fellows receive 4 weeks of protected research planning time, divided into two 2‑week blocks, to identify scholarly interests, meet mentors, and begin developing a research project.
- Throughout the year, fellows participate in a weekly half‑day continuity clinic, providing longitudinal care to hematology and oncology patients.
By the end of PGY‑4, each fellow selects one of two educational tracks:
- Clinician‑Educator Track
- Research Career Track
The second year of fellowship is primarily devoted to protected research and scholarly activity for fellows in both tracks, with minimal clinical responsibilities.
Clinician‑Educator Track (PGY‑5)
Fellows devote most of the year to research and scholarly work focused on:
- Quality improvement initiatives
- Development of clinical pathways or best practice guidelines
- Retrospective or outcomes‑based clinical research
Fellows maintain a weekly half‑day continuity clinic and receive structured mentorship throughout the year.
Research Career Track (PGY‑5)
Fellows pursue advanced scholarly training through:
- Hypothesis‑driven laboratory or translational research, and/or
- Enrollment in a Master’s degree program through Wake Forest School of Medicine (e.g., Clinical Research Management, Translational Science, Molecular Medicine)
Clinical responsibilities are limited, with continuation of a weekly half‑day continuity clinic to maintain longitudinal patient care.
The third year allows fellows to customize training according to their selected track and future career plans.
Clinician‑Educator Track (PGY‑6)
Fellows divide time between:
- Six to seven blocks of research, focused on completion of scholarly projects
- Targeted core clinical rotations in Oncology, Hematology, and/or Blood and Marrow Transplantation aligned with career goals
- A dedicated Education Project Block, providing formal training in medical education theory and the development of an interactive teaching session for pediatric residents, medical students, or advanced practice providers
- An additional elective block for broadening clinical training.
During research, education, and elective blocks, fellows participate in two half‑day clinics per week: one general continuity clinic and one career‑focused clinic.
Research Career Track (PGY‑6)
Fellows continue to devote most of the year to advanced research or degree completion, with:
- Two required core clinical rotations (one Hematology block and one Oncology or BMT block)
- Limited clinical responsibilities to preserve research productivity
- Ongoing participation in a weekly half‑day continuity clinic
This structure supports completion of grant‑ready or publication‑quality scholarly work.
Longitudinal Features Across All Years
- Continuous faculty mentorship and program leadership oversight
- Longitudinal continuity clinic throughout fellowship
- Protected research time, particularly during PGY‑5 and PGY‑6
- Flexible curriculum design to support careers in academic medicine, clinical practice, education, or research
Educational Conferences
These are the regularly scheduled conferences:
Department of Pediatrics
Grand Rounds (weekly) | Resident Academic conferences (Weekly)
Cancer and Blood Disorders Department and Levine Cancer Institute
Tumor Board (weekly)
Monday Lunch and Learn Conference (Weekly):
- This includes rotating schedule of Research conference, Journal Club, Protocol Review conference and Hematology Case Conference
Fellows Hemopathology review: (monthly) | Sarcoma Tumor board (weekly) | Neurooncology Tumor Board (weekly) | Patient Management Conferences (Weekly)
How to Apply / Application Criteria
The Pediatric Hematology‑Oncology Fellowship Program at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and participates in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP).
Because the fellowship training program is supported in part by training grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), eligibility is limited to applicants who are United States citizens or non‑citizens holding permanent resident status at the time of application.
Compensation and Benefits
Fellow stipends are determined according to Atrium Health and Wake Forest University School of Medicine institutional guidelines for graduate medical education. Fellows receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes:
- Health insurance coverage
- Malpractice and disability insurance
- Participation in a retirement savings plan
- Professional development and meeting travel support during the second and third years of fellowship
View the full Salary and Benefits detailsto learn more.
Application Information
Applications must be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS). Applicants are encouraged to review institutional graduate medical education policies and benefits information available on the Atrium Health GME website.
Learn More
We invite prospective applicants to explore additional information regarding our fellowship curriculum, clinical training sites, research opportunities, faculty, and current fellows. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further details about the Pediatric Hematology Oncology Fellowship Program at Atrium Health Levine Children’s.
Program Contact
Kesha Tisdel
Program Coordinator
kesha.tisdel@advocatehealth.org
Program Leadership
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Program Director, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Wake Forest Univeristy School of Medicine. -
Associate Program Director, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine