EAGLE, which stands for Exchange for Advanced Global Learning and Education, fulfills SOHO’s longstanding mission to educate and to expand global access to world-class clinical training.
One of the major accomplishments this year was the launch of the EAGLE program, the brainchild of Phillip Scheinberg, MD, the 2024-2025 SOHO president. Working with the Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) and its Board of Directors, the program help intermediate short-term training opportunities at leading hospitals and academic institutions to international hematology-oncology staff and trainees.
The name was selected by Dr. Scheinberg, who said that he chose it because of what it symbolizes: freedom and strength.
“I chose EAGLE because it reflects both US and SOHO history,” he said. “It symbolizes freedom, strength, and the spirit of exploration that we want this program to inspire.”
In Dr. Scheinberg’s recounting, the eagle, which has been the national bird of the US since 1782, became an enduring icon after the Apollo 11 Moon landing when Neil Armstrong declared: “The Eagle has landed.”
“The connection to Houston, home to NASA’s Mission Control, SOHO’s founding city and its annual meeting, makes the name especially fitting,” he said.
The EAGLE Program is rooted in the experiences of many SOHO leaders who trained in major US centers early in their careers, Dr. Scheinberg explained.
“Those opportunities shaped their professional development yet were often difficult to secure for physicians without personal connections in the United States,” he said.
The program addresses this gap by matching qualified fellows with participating host institutions.
For the inaugural year, SOHO has confirmed 15 institutions, including Moffitt Cancer Center, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
“We want this to be a transformative experience,” Dr. Scheinberg said. “This is about creating connections that will benefit participants throughout their careers.”
Qualified applicants must have completed internal medicine residency and be enrolled or completed a hematology-oncology fellowship. Participants are responsible for funding their own travel, housing, and visa arrangements, although some host centers offer local accommodation recommendations.
The application process requires applicants to submit details on training background, specialty focus, career goals, preferred duration, and specific areas of interest. Candidates rank up to three preferred centers, with SOHO reviewing submissions to ensure the best fit between participants and host institutions.
The launch drew enthusiastic support from SOHO members and partner institutions.
“We’ve had an extremely positive response from top institutions,” Dr. Scheinberg said. “We are right where we hoped to be for the launch and have strong partners ready to engage.”
To learn more about the EAGLE program, contact Melinda White at [email protected].
To apply to the EAGLE program, go to soho.click/EAGLE or scan the QR code.
