Houston Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, an affiliate of the Weill Cornell Medical College and Texas A&M Medical College, offers a ComACC-accredited clinical chemistry fellowship for postdoctoral students interested in pursuing a career in clinical chemistry and related research. Located in the heart of the Texas Medical Center, Houston Methodist Hospital is a 950-bed private adult teaching hospital with nearly 400,000 Emergency Room, Outpatient visits, and Admissions each year. The hospital offers a full range of services from primary to tertiary care, including a multi-organ transplant center and cancer center.

One two-year fellowship position is available every two academic years under the directorship of Roger Bertholf, PhD and Xin Yi, PhD (co-director), both board-certified clinical chemists. The first year of the program is an introduction to and rotation through the various laboratories providing clinical services to the hospital and outpatient center. These laboratories include the core laboratory, diagnostic immunology, point-of-care testing, and satellite laboratories. Elective rotations in selected laboratory areas of interest are also available. Major equipment in these laboratories includes: Roche Cobas 8000 modular analyzers, Siemens Centaur immunoassay systems, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometers, BioRad Bioplex 2200 immunoassay platforms, Abbott Architect i1000SR instruments, and Inova Quanta-Lyser instruments. The fellow will study proper testing procedures (specimen collection and processing), methodology, and clinical correlation of testing. Small research projects including, but not limited to, methodology development/improvement and clinical case study will also be assigned.

The second year will focus on management, on-call duty, and translational research. During this time, the fellow will gradually assume greater responsibilities in the clinical service laboratories. Under the supervision of Drs. Bertholf and Yi, the fellow will review and address laboratory management and patient care problems. Fellows are responsible for the clinical chemistry case conferences and have the opportunity to attend various clinical pathology conferences with residents and other fellows in the department. The fellow is expected to obtain board certification by the American Board of Clinical Chemistry (ABCC) by the end of the fellowship.

Stipend

Commensurate with level of post-graduate training. For more information, visit our GME Compensation and Benefits page.

Requirements

A doctoral degree of PhD or MD from an accredited institution is required for admission into the program. Individuals with a doctoral degree in any of the following (and/or other relevant life science area) are encouraged to apply: clinical chemistry, chemistry, biochemistry, medicine, molecular biology, toxicology, pharmacology, physiology, or genetics. Candidates should have met the 30-hour minimum requirement of undergraduate and/or graduate level biochemistry or chemistry courses (see detailed education requirements). Previous experience in clinical chemistry is not required, but applicants should have a strong interest in laboratory medicine and research.