Catherine E. Lai, MD, MPH, an associate professor and physician leader of the Leukemia Clinical Research Unit at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, moderates a discussion with Courtney DiNardo, MD, MSCE; Eunice Wang, MD; and Jessica Altman, MD, on the scientific achievements they have witnessed in the field of leukemia and their hopes for the future of treating this disease.

DiNardo is an associate professor in the Department of Leukemia and Division of Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Wang is chief of Leukemia Service, medical director of Infusion Services, professor of Oncology, and an assistant member of the Tumor Immunology Program in the Department of Immunology at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Altman is a professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology in the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.

In this episode, DiNardo, Wang, and Altman reflect on the leukemia treatment advances they have witnessed and helped facilitate, and express their gratitude for these therapies, many of which did not exist until recently. They cited the timeline of their careers as a transformational time in leukemia therapy.

Additionally, the leukemia experts look to the future and express their desires to make even more progress in the field and leave it better than it was when they started their careers. They also shared their hopes that the people they mentor will carry on their passions for developing better treatments and caring for patients in the best ways possible. They concluded by stressing that their jobs will not be finished until every leukemia patient is cured.

Videos

Courtney DiNardo, MD, MSCE; Eunice Wang, MD; and Jessica Altman, MD, discuss the scientific achievements they have witnessed in the field of leukemia and their hopes for the future of treating this disease.

Women in Oncology: Leaving Passionate Legacies

Catherine E. Lai, MD, MPH, an associate professor and physician leader of the Leukemia Clinical Research Unit at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, moderates a discussion with Courtney DiNardo, MD, MSCE; Eunice Wang, MD; and Jessica Altman, MD, on how they turned career obstacles into opportunities and what they have learned from being women in the leukemia field.

DiNardo is an associate professor in the Department of Leukemia and Division of Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Wang is chief of the Leukemia Service, medical director of Infusion Services, professor of oncology, and an assistant member of the Tumor Immunology Program in the Department of Immunology at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Altman is a professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology in the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.

In this episode, DiNardo, Wang, and Altman highlight the importance of building a supportive network of friends and colleagues at institutions beyond their own. They also share the benefits of having mentors and colleagues who are also close friends, rounding out the relationship between work and personal life.

Additionally, the 3 experts discuss their experiences as female leukemia physicians, including facing double standards with their male colleagues, feeling insecure about sharing details of their home lives at work, and often being some of the only women in the room. However, they also express their gratitude for the female role models they have worked with and learned from over the years, and noted how women in prominent career positions can inspire other women to follow in their footsteps.

Courtney DiNardo, MD, MSCE; Eunice Wang, MD; and Jessica Altman, MD, discuss how they turned career obstacles into opportunities and what they have learned from being women in the leukemia field.

Women in Oncology: The Value of Female Leadership

Catherine E. Lai, MD, MPH, an associate professor and physician leader of the Leukemia Clinical Research Unit at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, moderates a discussion with Courtney DiNardo, MD, MSCE; Eunice Wang, MD; and Jessica Altman, MD, on the importance of strong mentorship relationships and the unique growth opportunities they found at different points of their careers.

In this episode, DiNardo, Wang, and Altman discuss the critical roles mentors played at the start of their careers. They note the benefits of having different mentors for distinct aspects of their jobs, including conducting clinical research, interacting with patients, and establishing a successful dynamic between work and personal life. They also advise current trainees to spend time in the lab, regardless of their overall career trajectory, so they can learn firsthand the questions worthy of being asked and answered and use this knowledge to inform their clinical care.

Additionally, the experts share their experiences with staying open to career possibilities that were different than their initial training trajectories. They talk about reprioritizing their goals based on what they want their careers to look like over time, thinking of training as a way of learning a vastly applicable skillset, and using academic medicine as an ideal environment for reinventing themselves.

Courtney DiNardo, MD, MSCE; Eunice Wang, MD; and Jessica Altman, MD, discuss the importance of strong mentorship relationships and the unique growth opportunities they found at different points of their careers.

Women in Oncology: Opportunities for Success Through Mentorship

Catherine E. Lai, MD, MPH, an associate professor and physician leader of the Leukemia Clinical Research Unit at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, moderates a discussion with Courtney DiNardo, MD, MSCE; Eunice Wang, MD; and Jessica Altman, MD, on the toughest challenges they faced in the leukemia field at the start of their fellowships and careers.

In this episode, DiNardo, Wang, and Altman discuss the state of leukemia treatment when they first entered the field and how they navigated the changes around them by staying updated with the latest advances and prioritizing patient needs. They note how limited the options were for leukemia management and the setbacks they experienced when drugs were withdrawn. They also share the hope they felt during the slow onset of clinical trials that grew into the wealth of data and therapies available today.

Additionally, the 3 leukemia experts explain their journeys toward understanding the molecular biology of this disease so they could knowledgeably recommend clinical trials and offer targeted therapies to their patients. They also talk through some highs and lows of mentorship and the value in finding a variety of mentoring communities.

Courtney DiNardo, MD, MSCE; Eunice Wang, MD; and Jessica Altman, MD, discuss the toughest challenges they faced in the leukemia field at the start of their fellowships and careers.

Jessica Altman, MD

Articles

Women in Oncology: Leaving Passionate Legacies

Women in Oncology: The Value of Female Leadership

Women in Oncology: Opportunities for Success Through Mentorship

Women in Oncology: Actively Preparing for Advances in Leukemia Treatment