The University of Rochester Medical Center represents a remarkable convergence of academic excellence, research innovation, and compassionate care that has transformed medicine for over a century. As you consider joining the Wilmot Cancer Institute as Director of Breast Medical Oncology, you're evaluating more than just a hospital—you're considering becoming part of an institution that has fundamentally shaped American medicine since its founding. The medical center's unique position as the region's only academic medical center and home to Western New York's sole National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center creates opportunities for impact that simply don't exist elsewhere in the region.
In April 2025, the Wilmot Cancer Institute achieved what only 73 cancer centers nationwide have accomplished—designation by the National Cancer Institute. This places Wilmot in the top 4% of all cancer centers in the United States, a distinction earned through rigorous evaluation of research programs, clinical care, community engagement, and educational initiatives. For you as a breast oncology leader, this means access to resources, collaborative networks, and funding opportunities available only to NCI-designated centers. The $10 million renewable grant accompanying this designation, combined with access to exclusive NCI funding streams, provides the foundation for ambitious program development.
The University of Rochester Medical Center operates as a comprehensive academic medical system with impressive reach and resources. Strong Memorial Hospital, the flagship facility where you'll primarily practice, maintains 886 licensed beds and serves as the region's quaternary care referral center. With over 34,000 annual admissions and nearly 950,000 outpatient visits, the medical center provides sophisticated care across all specialties while maintaining the collaborative culture of a unified academic institution.
Established in 1974 and celebrating its 50th anniversary alongside achieving NCI designation, the Wilmot Cancer Institute has evolved from a regional cancer center to a nationally recognized leader in cancer research and care. The institute operates 14 locations throughout Western and Central New York, ensuring that advanced cancer care reaches rural and underserved populations who might otherwise lack access. This distributed model means your influence as a leader extends far beyond Rochester's city limits.
The cancer institute treats nearly 20,000 new cancer cases annually, with breast cancer representing one of the largest service lines. The Pluta Comprehensive Breast Care Program, your primary clinical home, operates as a fully integrated multidisciplinary center where medical oncology, surgical oncology, radiation oncology, pathology, and supportive services collaborate seamlessly. The program's commitment to same-day consultations, rapid treatment initiation, and coordinated care has earned patient satisfaction scores consistently above the 95th percentile.
Wilmot's research enterprise sets it apart from community cancer centers and even many academic programs. As one of only two academic medical centers nationwide with a National Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) Research Base, Wilmot demonstrates exceptional expertise in clinical trial design and execution. The recent $29 million NCORP grant—the largest single grant currently funded at URMC—supports practice-changing research in cancer control and symptom management that impacts patients nationwide.
The medical center's commitment to cutting-edge technology ensures you'll have access to the most advanced diagnostic and treatment modalities. The recent capital investments in cancer services include state-of-the-art radiation oncology equipment, advanced imaging capabilities including 3D mammography and breast MRI, and sophisticated pathology services with molecular profiling capabilities. The electronic medical record system integrates seamlessly across all care sites, facilitating the coordinated care that defines Wilmot's approach.
Plans are underway for new cancer facility construction that will further consolidate services and create dedicated space for clinical trials, multidisciplinary clinics, and innovative treatment modalities. As a leader, you'll have input into facility design that shapes how cancer care is delivered for decades to come.
The University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry's unique curriculum, which integrates clinical and classroom learning throughout all four years, creates an environment where education, research, and patient care truly intersect. The Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship Program, which you'll help lead, attracts outstanding physicians from across the nation who seek training in a genuinely academic environment. With over 90 graduate medical education programs, the medical center buzzes with the intellectual energy that comes from constant learning and teaching.
Your role will include opportunities to teach medical students, residents, and fellows, shaping the next generation of oncologists while maintaining your own intellectual growth. The university's broader resources, including schools of nursing, public health, and basic sciences, create opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration rare even among academic medical centers.
What truly distinguishes URMC is its deep commitment to the communities it serves. The medical center's mission extends beyond providing excellent clinical care to addressing the social determinants of health that impact cancer outcomes. With 27 counties in the service area, including vast rural regions and 12 Appalachian counties, Wilmot serves populations often overlooked by academic medicine. The cancer center's community outreach programs, mobile mammography units, and telemedicine initiatives ensure that advanced cancer care reaches those who need it most.
This commitment to health equity isn't just rhetoric—it's embedded in the institution's operations and strategic planning. Your leadership in breast oncology will directly impact efforts to reduce disparities in breast cancer outcomes, particularly among rural and underserved populations who experience higher mortality rates despite lower incidence.
The convergence of NCI designation, strong institutional support, and strategic location positions Wilmot for exceptional growth. Plans include establishing a drug development program, expanding clinical trials infrastructure, and deepening regional partnerships. The medical center's leadership, including CEO David Linehan, MD (himself an oncologic surgeon) and Dean Mark Taubman, MD, demonstrates unwavering commitment to cancer services as an institutional priority.
Your arrival as Director of Breast Medical Oncology represents a critical component of this growth strategy. The institution seeks not just someone to maintain existing services but a leader who can leverage these remarkable resources to build something truly exceptional—a breast cancer program recognized nationally for innovation in both research and clinical care, one that serves as a model for how academic medical centers can address cancer in diverse, challenging populations while advancing the science that benefits patients everywhere.
