Message from the Program Director
Welcome to the Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Fellowship program at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. I am excited to introduce you to what our program can offer and invite you to learn more.
We are committed to the education and training of new fellows in our subspecialty. We have the faculty, outpatient and inpatient facilities and the resources, clinical population, and research laboratories to provide a first-rate training program. For over 30 years, the department has participated in clinical research trials and care for children with cancer and blood disorders across the tristate area. Now, under the umbrella of New Jersey’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center at Rutgers Cancer Institute, the department has expanded its research and clinical missions to become a nationally known center of excellence.
Our clinical mission is supported by the entire division faculty, which unified across the RWJBarnabas Health system - the largest academic health care system in the state. Each faculty member has a specialized area of excellence within the field of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology. Within the Division, we have specialty clinics (with active laboratory and clinical programs) in Leukemia, Lymphoma, Solid Tumors, Neuro-oncology, Coagulation and Thrombosis, Sickle Cell Disease, Vascular Anomalies and Childhood Cancer Survivorship. We have established a new Pediatric Cellular Therapy program to include bone marrow transplant and other innovative cell-based therapy. Our division is a member of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute Consortium and of the Children’s Oncology Group (both nationwide cooperative groups coordinating trials in Pediatric Oncology). We also direct and administer the Pediatric program of 2 of the 3 state Regional Hemophilia Centers, as well as New Jersey’s largest sickle cell program.
Our research programs cover the gamut from bench to translational research and population science initiatives. Our department’s research is fully funded by NIH, state, and local grants. We also participate in collaborative research projects with our colleagues at Rutgers, Princeton, and the Big Ten Cancer Consortium. We are uniquely situated, qualified and excited to provide Pediatric Hematology and Oncology fellowship education in New Jersey.
Thank you for your interest in the Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Fellowship at Rutgers Cancer Institute! We hope you find all the information you need.
Sincerely,
Margaret Masterson, MD
Program Director
Mission Statement
The mission of the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey is to prepare and train future clinician scientists who will advance our field in the effort to cure children with cancer and blood disorders. At Rutgers Cancer Institute, our mission is to accelerate scientific discovery focused on understanding cancer, innovating cancer treatment, and improving cancer prevention; to provide outstanding, novel, and compassionate patient care; to provide evidence-based and culturally informed education to physicians, nurses, researchers, staff, and the community; and to achieve cancer health equity in our state through outreach to and engagement of our extraordinarily diverse communities.
Our program will develop leadership skills, clinical acumen, scholarship excellence, skill in systems-based practice and commitment to professionalism, diversity, and inclusion. The training includes acquisition of patient care expertise, practice in an evidence-based environment and achievement of foundational knowledge of scholarly activity and research. Fellows will participate in community family education programs (example: survivorship education night), work with our parent support group to provide medical information and leadership and will have the opportunity to work at our affiliated summer camps for children with cancer and blood disorders as camp physicians and counselors.
Core Faculty
Margaret Masterson, MD
Program Director, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship
Medical Director, LITE Program
Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist
Shalu Narang, MD
Associate Program Director
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship
Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist
Peter Cole, MD
Chief, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Embrace Kids Foundation Endowed Chair in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Director of Hematology, Oncology and Cellular Therapies at Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital
Richard Drachtman, MD
Clinical Section Chief, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Razia B. Akhtar, MD
Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist
Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Scott Moerdler, MD
Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist
Marissa Botwinick, DO, MS
Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist
Susan Murphy, MD
Director, Pediatric Thrombosis and Hemostasis
Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist
Archana Sharma, DO
Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist
Prakash Satwani, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Shridar Ganesan, MD, PhD
Associate Director for Translational Research
Chief, Section of Molecular Oncology
Meenakshi Goyal-Khemka, MD
Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist
Teaching Faculty
Teena Bhatla, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Director, Division of Hematology/Oncology at NBIMC
Advaitha Madireddy, PhD
Assistant Professor – Genomic Instability and Cancer Genetics
Karen Long-Traynor, PhD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Katie Devine, MPH, PhD
Chief, Section of Pediatric Population Science, Outcomes, and Disparities Research
How to Apply
Fellowship program applications will be accepted and reviewed only via ERAS (Electronic Fellowship Application Service). The ERAS website can be accessed at aamc.org/eras.
Required Documents via ERAS
- ERAS application (CAF)
- Four letters of recommendation (LoRs)
- Must include:
- one letter from your residency program director
- one letter from a pediatrics faculty member
- Must include:
- Personal statement including a description of special interests and career goals
- Medical school transcript
- Medical student performance evaluation/Dean's letter
- Wallet-size color photograph
- USMLE transcripts or COMLEX transcripts
- ECFMG status report (only for International Medical Graduates)
After applications are thoroughly reviewed, qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.
Matching Program
Applicants must register with the National Residency Matching Program on the NRMP web site.
Contact Us
Lory Cotangco
Program Coordinator
Email: lory.cotangco@rutgers.edu