Hematology-Oncology Interest Group (HOIG)

Mission Statement

Explore the constantly evolving field of hematology/oncology from a clinical and research perspective. Our club aims to help give students an opportunity to shadow and build professional relationships in various aspects of hematology/oncology.


2024 - 2025 Co-Leaders:

Anika Porwal - anikaporwal@arizona.edu

Natalie Putnam - natalieaputnam@arizona.edu

Rushil Pithia - rpithia@arizona.edu

Faculty Advisor:

Dr. Suwon Kim - suwon@email.arizona.edu


Description:

The Hematology-Oncology Interest Group is seeking students that want to learn more about a disease that permeates nearly all specialties in medicine: cancer. As future doctors, we will all get to work with patients that are living with or recovering from this "mother of all diseases." Our goal is to provide students with the information that they need to help treat this all-encompassing malady and to help them explore the constantly evolving fields of hematology and oncology. We plan on having monthly talks from physicians and specialists that work across a variety of IM subspecialties including radiation oncology, surgery, and palliative care in additional to journal clubs. If you want to explore a multidisciplinary, patient-centered approach to medicine, regardless of specialty, then this club is for you!

Past Club Leadership: 

2022-2023 Co-Leaders: Rachel Fisher (rfisher3@arizona.edu), Trent House (trentjhouse@arizona.edu), & Kian Mofidi (kmofidi@arizona.edu)

2021 - 2022 Co-Leaders: Emma Kar (emmakar@email.arizona.edu) & Rachna Guntu (rachnaguntu@email.arizona.edu)

2020 - 2021 Co-Leaders: Trevor Smith (trevorjsmith@email.arizona.edu),  Sean McCauley (smccauley@email.arizona.edu), Yerina Cho (yerinahur@arizona.edu)

2018 - 2019 Co-Leaders: Brandon Ngo (bqn@email.arizona.edu) and Elizabeth Borden (knodele@email.arizona.edu)

2017 - 2018 Co-Leaders: Jenna Koblinski (jennakoblinski@email.arizona.edu), Tory Prynn (tprynn1@email.arizona.edu), Cecilia Chou (cchou16@email.arizona.edu), Kimberly Artounian (artounian@email.arizona.edu), Zubair Ahmed (zahmed@email.arizona.edu) 

2016 - 2017 Co-Leaders: Agnes Ewongwo (ewongwo@email.arizona.edu ), Sarah Patel (sarahpatel@email.arizona.edu), Eyal Ron (eron@email.arizona.edu), George Nguyen (gnguyen94@email.arizona.edu)

2015 - 2016 Co-Leaders: Eric Miller (ejmiller@email.arizona.edu), Michael Wassermann (mwassermann@email.arizona.edu), Charles Smith (cls1989@email.arizona.edu), Tyson Amundsen (tysonamundsen@email.arizona.edu)

Past Club Activities: 

February 2021 - Physician Lunch Talk: Radiation oncologist from Rutgers University, Dr. Matthew Mattes, hosted a talk about the field of radiation oncology and offered mentorship opportunities available for those interested in researching or shadowing in the field of oncology.

Physician Lunch Talk, October 2018: Students learned about the critical role of supportive care and survivorship in oncology from Dr. Kerry Tobias of the University of Arizona Cancer Center. Her background in PMNR and triple board certification in Pain Medicine, Hospice, and Palliative Medicine provided a unique perspective of the wide range of care needed in the field of hematology/oncology. 

Physician Lunch Talk, Fall 2018: Cancer Survivorship and Supportive Care with Dr. Kerry Tobias from UA Cancer Center.

Physician Lunch Talk, April 2018: Local hematologist-oncologist Dr. Matt Ulrickson from the MD Anderson Cancer Center discussed his experiences in the field with students.

Be the Match Bone Marrow Registry Event, 2018