News

When Shelley Hwang, MD, MPH, is in the operating room performing surgery on a patient with breast cancer, she focuses all of her considerable experience, skill, and knowledge on the task at hand: giving this individual patient the best possible outcome. At the same time, she recognizes that every operation is an opportunity to learn just a little bit more about the disease she battles every day. Every patient and every procedure add to the store of knowledge that guides research and ultimately informs the advances that improve care.

The Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) on the Breast Surgical Oncology Team have received a Presidential Award from Duke University President Vincent E. Price, one of the highest honors awarded to faculty and staff at Duke.

The Duke Department of Surgery now ranks third among surgery departments nationwide in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding received in 2019 according to the newly released Blue Ridge rankings. Duke Surgery has continued to rank in the top five nationally over the past 30 years, demonstrating the department’s long-standing commitment to investigate the impact of disease on patient health. With a diverse portfolio, including 78.7% of funding from the NIH, Duke Surgery faculty and staff perform a wide variety of research to improve the human condition.

Congratulations to Jennifer K. Plichta, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, on being appointed to the editorial board for Breast Cancer Research, one of the most widely read journals in breast cancer research and treatment.

Lola Fayanju, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, recently received a K08 award from the National Institutes of Health for her proposal "Using Modifiable Risk Factors to Predict Inferior Care and Survival After Breast Cancer Diagnosis: A Novel Approach to Addressing Health Disparities." With this grant, Dr. Fayanju and her team will develop a prediction model to identify women with mutable risk factors for compromised breast cancer care, providing a novel approach to addressing disparities in oncologic care.

But doctors seldom discuss financial differences between similarly effective treatments
 

Even among well-educated women with health insurance coverage, a significant proportion said the costs of cancer treatment influenced the type of surgery they chose for breast cancer treatment, a study led by the Duke Cancer Institute found.

Three faculty members from the Duke Department of Surgery have received distinguished professorships from Duke University. Distinguished professorships are awarded to the most distinguished faculty who have demonstrated extraordinary scholarship in advancing science and improving human health.

The Department of Surgery held its 4th Annual Research Day April 17. The department holds this event annually to advance its mission of improving patient care through research and training the next generation of surgeon–scientists. The event recognizes the accomplishments of fellows, residents, and students engaged in clinical or basic and translational research through the department.

The U.S. News and World Report has ranked the Duke University School of Medicine 2nd in surgery among the best medical schools in the country. This 2nd place ranking is up considerably from the department’s 5th place ranking last year.

The Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research has released its 2018 rankings of NIH funding for basic and clinical science departments, revealing that Duke Surgery ranks highest nationwide with more than $30 million in funding committed to research.