Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program

Fellowship program at UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center

The UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center accepts two fellows each year to its hematology and oncology fellowship program. Upon completion, fellows are eligible for certification in both disciplines.

Our Program

The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only NCI designated Cancer Center in the state of New Mexico. As a fellow, you will gain excellent clinical skills, deep knowledge of oncology disciplines, a capacity for clear and critical thought, a mindset of investigation and a high standard of professional ethics.

New Mexico is home to an extremely diverse patient population with a variety of rare, complex and advanced pathologies. Our fellows are critical members of a team providing comprehensive, multidisciplinary care to patients of many cultural, ethnic and social backgrounds.

Dulcinea Quintana, MD

Fellowship Program Director

The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center

1 University of New Mexico

1201 Camino de Salud NE Albuquerque, NM 87102

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Virtual Tour of our Clinic

Take this Virtual Tour of our clinic to learn more about all the services we offer under one roof.

Clinical Rotations and Research

In the first year, fellows participate in:

3 months Hematology Inpatient Service
3 months Medical Oncology Inpatient Consults
Experience in Radiation Oncology
Experience in Palliative Medicine 
1 month Classical Hematology Clinic
1 month GI Clinic
1 month Leukemia/Lymphoma/Multiple Myeloma Clinic
1 month Bone Marrow Transplant Clinic
1 month Head/Neck/Lung Clinic

In the second year, fellows participate in:

2 months Hematology Inpatient Service
2 months Medical Oncology Inpatient Consults
Experience in Hematopathology
Experience in Genetics
1 month Gynecology Oncology
Experience in Blood Bank
1 month CNS/Melanoma/Sarcoma Clinic
1 month GU Clinic
2 months research

In the third year, fellows begin to take specialty electives and conduct research.

Clinical

2 month inpatient
1 month Bone Marrow Transplant

Research

Opportunities for clinical and laboratory based research:

TOPS – Trainees in Oncology Programs
Faculty actively involved in many research areas
Devoted time concentrated in 2nd/3rd year
Mentorship program

Each fellow will engage in a continuity/longitudinal clinic one day per week. They will rotate for 6 months at a time in each of the following 6 subspecialties:

Breast
Head/neck/lung
GI
GU
Classical Hematology
Malignant Hematology

Each 6 months is structured for the fellow to have in-depth exposure to disease processes in each area and work alongside and under the supervision of subspecialists in each area.

Clinical Rotations and Research

Year 1

In the first year, fellows participate in:

3 months Hematology Inpatient Service
3 months Medical Oncology Inpatient Consults
Experience in Radiation Oncology
Experience in Palliative Medicine 
1 month Classical Hematology Clinic
1 month GI Clinic
1 month Leukemia/Lymphoma/Multiple Myeloma Clinic
1 month Bone Marrow Transplant Clinic
1 month Head/Neck/Lung Clinic

Year 2

In the second year, fellows participate in:

2 months Hematology Inpatient Service
2 months Medical Oncology Inpatient Consults
Experience in Hematopathology
Experience in Genetics
1 month Gynecology Oncology
Experience in Blood Bank
1 month CNS/Melanoma/Sarcoma Clinic
1 month GU Clinic
2 months research

Year 3

In the third year, fellows begin to take specialty electives and conduct research.

Clinical

2 month inpatient
1 month Bone Marrow Transplant

Research

Opportunities for clinical and laboratory based research:

TOPS – Trainees in Oncology Programs
Faculty actively involved in many research areas
Devoted time concentrated in 2nd/3rd year
Mentorship program

Longitudinal Clinic

Each fellow will engage in a continuity/longitudinal clinic one day per week. They will rotate for 6 months at a time in each of the following 6 subspecialties:

Each 6 months is structured for the fellow to have in-depth exposure to disease processes in each area and work alongside and under the supervision of subspecialists in each area.

How to Apply

We accept applicants who have a Medical Doctorate, including providers with J-1 visas.

Applications for the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program are being accepted starting July 1st. The deadline for applications is August 15th. We accept two trainees into our program every year. Interviews begin towards the end of September. Please apply using the ERAS website.

Questions? Please contact us at UNMHemOncFellowApplicats@salud.unm.edu.

Our Program

Meet our Fellows

3rd Year - Chief Fellows

Harsh Sharma, DO — Graduates June 30, 2026

Mahmoud Abdelsamia, MD — Graduates June 30, 2026

2nd Year

Neilmegh Lakshma Varada, DO — Graduates June 30, 2027

Christopher Hertz, MD — Graduates July 14, 2027

Elvina Lingas, MD — Graduates September 30, 2027

1st Year

Athar Eysa, MD — Graduates June 30, 2028

Roberto Garcia, MD — Graduates June 30, 2028

Meet our Team

Dulcinea Quintana, MD, Fellowship Program Director

Ian Rabinowitz, MD

Jacklyn Nemunaitis, MD

Ashley Kinsel, Medical Education Program Coordinator
505-925-0411
UNMHemOncFellowApplicats@salud.unm.edu

Our department has 20 Clinical Faculty:

7 Hematology/Oncology
13 Medical Oncology

Our Graduates

More than half of the physicians who have completed our program have pursued careers in academia.

2009: UNM -> City of Hope
2010:
- Emory University; now at Fox Chase Cancer Ctr
- Private practice in Pueblo, Colorado
2011: University of Washington
2012
University of New Mexico
University of Washington
2013:
- Private practice in Albuquerque; now at the Veterans Administration in Montana
- Moffitt Cancer Center, Florida
2014:
- MD Anderson
- Private practice in California
2015: State University of New York at Syracuse
2016
- Private practice in Atlanta Georgia
- Private practice in Roswell New Mexico
2017:
- University of Minnesota
- Private practice in Phoenix, Arizona
2018
- University of California Davis
- Private practice in Minnesota
2019: University of New Mexico
2020: ALL THREE at University of New Mexico!!!
2021:
- Stanford fellowship in transplant and cell-based therapy
- University of New Mexico
2022:
- University of New Mexico
- Mayo Clinic
2023
- Stanford fellowship in transplant/cell-based therapy
- Private practice Pennsylvania

The UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center

The UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of only 57cancer centers — and the only one in New Mexico — to hold NCI Comprehensive designation.

Explore our website to learn about

Our Mission and Senior Leaders
Our Care Teams
Our Research
Our Shared Resources
The Treatment Options We Offer
The Patient and Family Support Services We Offer

and more!

Our State

The UNM Cancer Center serves the entire state of New Mexico. The New Mexico population is

49% Hispanic
37% non-Hispanic White
11% American Indian, Native American
6% Black/African-American
4% and growing Asian

New Mexico is ranked 48th in per capita income and 32 of 33 counties are medically underserved.

We value providing respectful cancer care, which includes attracting and retaining a diverse health care workforce of cancer physicians, scientists, nurses, pharmacists and advanced practice providers.

Learn more about New Mexico: https://www.newmexico.org/