South Asia Fellowship Expansion Initiative

South Asia Fellowship Expansion Initiative

A collaborative HOPPE initiative

Based on guidance from senior hematology leaders and institutional partners in Pakistan, HOPPE is working collaboratively to create additional high-quality Clinical Hematology fellowship positions.

Training model:

Clinical Hematology training spans approximately five years: two years of medicine-based training, followed by the relevant examination, and three years of advanced Clinical Hematology fellowship training.

HOPPE will fund the three advanced fellowship years for each additional position created through this initiative. The aim is to expand training capacity rather than replace existing institutionally funded positions.

Clinical training

The initial fellowship positions are being developed in partnership with the Armed Forces Bone Marrow Transplant Centre (AFBMTC) in Rawalpindi.

Fellows will receive broad experience in malignant hematology, bone-marrow failure disorders, hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation, inpatient and outpatient Clinical Hematology, multidisciplinary care, research, and exposure to developing cellular-therapy and CAR-T programs when clinically available.

Subject to institutional guidelines, program requirements, scheduling, and final curriculum approval, fellows may rotate for up to three months during each fellowship year at the Pakistan Thalassaemia Welfare Society (PATHWEL) Centre of Hematology & Bone Marrow Transplant in
Rawalpindi, under the supervision of Dr. Parvez Ahmed. The rotation is intended to provide exceptional exposure to benign and classical hematology, including thalassemia and other hemoglobin disorders, together with additional bone-marrow transplant experience.

Fellows will also join HOPPE's educational and mentorship network for case-based discussions, conferences, research guidance, educational consultation, and planned virtual teaching in palliative care/pain management and diagnostic pathology/hematopathology.

Candidate selection

The aim is to identify capable, industrious candidates with strong academic potential, professionalism, integrity, and a clear commitment to patient care, teaching, research, and service.

Preference may be given to highly qualified candidates from underserved regions, or those with a credible commitment to serving such communities in the future. All candidates will be held to the same rigorous academic and professional standards.

Selection Committee

The Pakistan-based and U.S.-based HOPPE teams will work jointly on candidate selection, curriculum review, quality stewardship, mentorship, and ongoing program evaluation. Together, they will help refine the fellowship model, maintain educational standards, and advocate for responsible expansion beyond the pilot phase.

Planned virtual educational tracks

HOPPE plans to integrate virtual palliative care/pain management and diagnostic pathology/hematopathology teaching tracks, with Dr. M. Hamza Habib and Dr. Aamir Ehsan serving as virtual course directors. These courses are intended to support the HOPPE-sponsored fellows and, when feasible, to be open to other hematology/oncology fellows and trainees in Pakistan and the United States.

Working jointly with the Pakistan-based leadership and selection committee, this U.S./U.K.-based team will contribute to candidate selection, curriculum review, quality stewardship, mentorship, and periodic evaluation. Both teams will also serve as advocates for the initiative and help guide its development from the initial pilot into a sustainable, scalable fellowship-support model.

The total three-year stipend for one fully supported position is PKR 4.32 million, approximately US$15,500-16,000 depending on the prevailing exchange rate.

Fellowship Cycle - Beginning July 2026

Current cycle: Positions #1-#3 fully pledged for July 2026 CPSP registration

HOPPE is also consulting Medical Oncology stakeholders in Pakistan to assess their specific needs and determine how we can most effectively support their priorities. This work will be developed further through continued collaboration.

Pledges for all three initial HOPPE-supported Clinical Hematology fellowship positions are complete.
Fellowship #3 received US$17,600 in pledges, including US$1,500 that will be directed toward CME
support for all three fellows.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed, pledged, supported, and made dua for this effort.
May Allah accept it and make it a lasting source of benefit for the fellows, their patients, and the
communities they will serve. Ameen.

Fellowship Cycle - Beginning December 2026

Current cycle: Positions #4-#6 fully pledged for December 2026 CPSP registration

Alhamdulillah, Fellowship #4-#6 is complete. Additional support received beyond the stipend requirement will be directed toward CME and approved fellow education needs.

Other Projects