U of U Health Establishes Division of Surgical Oncology
SALT LAKE CITY–University of Utah Health and the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, in collaboration with Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI), are proud to announce the establishment of the Division of Surgical Oncology. Housed in the Department of Surgery and emerging from a long-standing section within the Division of General Surgery, the new surgical oncology division will support our collective mission to deliver a cancer-free frontier in the area we serve and prepare for the anticipated growth in the region.
Underscoring the importance of the shared commitment to advancing healthcare, extensive demographic and market research indicates a steadily growing demand for increased surgical oncology services in the Mountain West.
A team of experts collaborated to create the new structure with support from Michael Good, MD, CEO of U of U Health and the Senior Vice President of Health Sciences; Samuel Finlayson, MD, MPH, MBA, Interim Dean, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine; Dan Lundergan, CEO of University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics; and Mary Beckerle, PhD, CEO of HCI, and Associate Vice President for Cancer Affairs at U of U Health. The collaboration also included key experts from HCI; a team of surgical oncologists; and Department of Surgery Chair, Fiemu Nwariaku, MD, MBA, FACS.
Nwariaku stated, "As an oncology surgeon and department chair, I believe the creation of this division will benefit patients needing cancer treatment by expanding our existing clinical services, research programs, and educating the next generation of surgical oncologists. This will play a pivotal role in improving the lives of countless patients and pushing the boundaries of our understanding and treatment of cancer."
Establishing a Division of Surgical Oncology brings many exciting advancements including extending comprehensive care services to the five-state service region and providing invaluable support to the forthcoming Huntsman Cancer Institute campus in Vineyard, Utah.
The new division will also establish a highly competitive and sought-after complex general surgical oncology fellowship to prepare future surgeons to meet community needs. In addition, clinical trial opportunities will be expanded, significantly enhancing research capacity and output. This transformation is expected to propel research capabilities, encouraging innovation and progress in the field.
The newly created Division of Surgical Oncology, one of eight divisions in the Department of Surgery, has 14 faculty members. The faculty and advanced practice clinicians cover complex general surgical oncology, breast surgery, melanoma, gastrointestinal, colorectal, peritoneal, and endocrine surgical oncology specialties. These collaborative teams are dedicated to high-quality, value-driven patient care, education, innovation, and discovery through basic, clinical, population, and health services research.
The Department of Surgery is currently seeking a top-tier candidate to fill the role of Division Chief for Surgical Oncology. Qualified individuals with a passion for advancing healthcare are invited to apply to be part of this significant advancement. For more information and to apply, please visit the application portal.
Establishing this new division is a testament to University of Utah Health’s and Huntsman Cancer Institute’s joint commitment to excellence in patient care, research, and education in surgical oncology.
For more information or media inquiries, contact:
Giana Aluculesei
Director of Programs and Strategy
Department of Surgery, University of Utah
Giana.Aluculesei@hsc.utah.edu
About University of Utah Health and Huntsman Cancer Institute:
University of Utah Health (U of U Health) is an esteemed academic health science center ranking in the top 10 of the prestigious Vizient Quality Leadership Award for the last 13 years. The University of Utah is an R1 Top-Tier research institution and a member of the Association of American Universities with $768 million in research funding, including $312 million from the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine. Through state-of-the-art quality care, groundbreaking research discoveries, and novel educational models, U of U Health is dedicated to advancing health for society.
Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) is a National Cancer Institute designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, supporting and fostering a vibrant cancer research enterprise in a highly collegial environment. Currently, HCI has 600+ active research projects, over 250 research teams, 325 active clinical trials, and has invested over $200 million in cancer research.
The Department of Surgery has a substantial roster of 137 faculty members, 70 residents, 26 fellows, 88 advanced practice clinicians (PAs and NPs), and over 200 staff, standing as one of the largest departments within the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine. With an annual budget of $130 million and an endowment of $25 million dedicated to endowed chair positions, the surgery department operates under the framework of eight clinical divisions. With a strong research focus, the department was ranked 23rd in 2022 on the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research for NIH funding. The Department of Surgery is committed to achieving excellence and national recognition in the core missions of patient care, innovation and discovery research, education, and service.