John S. Underwood, MD

I grew up across the country, living in Hawaii, California, Texas, and eventually, Missouri, where I attended the University of Missouri and studied biology and music performance (viola). After graduating I left the country to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon, where I worked with locals to create healthier communities through education and sustainable health projects. I returned to my alma mater for medical school, where I cultivated an appreciation for the ways medicine could allow for unique and meaningful patient relationships and eventually found my calling in hematology and oncology. My current career interests are innovations in the treatment of hematologic malignancies, pain management in sickle cell patients, cancer treatment in third world communities, pediatric to adult transitions of care, and medical student and resident education. In choosing a career path, my training was unique in that my choice for residency was a combined training in internal medicine and pediatrics (Med/Peds) here at Indiana University. Ultimately this decision was made by a desire for well-rounded training that would also leave me capable of working with younger patients and those transitioning from pediatric care to long-term adult survivorship. I have loved my time here at Indiana University and have also found Indianapolis to be a wonderful place to live. If you’d like to reach out to me about my experience or our fellowship program, please feel free to do so!