Position Overview

Understanding the Role

Leading Transformational Growth in Academic Breast Oncology

This is your opportunity to shape the future of breast cancer care in Western New York as the Director of Breast Medical Oncology at the University of Rochester Medical Center's Wilmot Cancer Institute. You'll step into a leadership role that combines clinical excellence with strategic program development, guiding an established team through an exciting period of expansion while building upon a strong foundation of comprehensive cancer care. The position represents more than just leading a department—it's about creating a vision for how breast cancer patients throughout the Finger Lakes region and beyond will experience hope, healing, and cutting-edge treatment.

The Wilmot Cancer Institute serves as the region's only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, drawing patients from across Western New York and the Finger Lakes region who seek the advanced care and clinical trials that only an academic medical center can provide. As Director, you'll oversee a growing team of breast medical oncologists while maintaining your own clinical practice, ensuring you remain connected to the patient care mission that drives everything you do. This is a newly created leadership position, reflecting the institution's commitment to expanding breast cancer services to meet growing community needs.

Your Role and Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team currently comprising five breast medical oncologists, with immediate plans to expand to seven and eventual growth to nine providers
• Maintain an active clinical practice treating breast cancer patients, staying connected to the bedside realities that inform strategic decisions
• Oversee a portfolio of 20-25 clinical trials in breast cancer, serving as Principal Investigator for approximately one-third to one-half of these studies
• Build relationships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to bring cutting-edge clinical trials to Rochester
• Develop national visibility through participation in committees and collaborative groups focused on breast cancer research and treatment
• Collaborate closely with breast surgical oncology and radiation oncology colleagues to ensure seamless multidisciplinary care
• Guide junior faculty in developing their clinical research skills and building their academic careers

Qualifications and Experience

• Board certification in Medical Oncology with subspecialty expertise in breast cancer
• Minimum of 4-5 years of clinical experience in breast cancer care, demonstrating excellence in patient outcomes
• Track record of clinical research participation, ideally with experience as a Principal Investigator
• Academic appointment at the late Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Full Professor level
• Evidence of regional or emerging national reputation in breast oncology through publications, presentations, or committee participation
• Leadership potential demonstrated through prior roles, though extensive management experience is not required for exceptional clinical candidates

The Right Fit

The ideal candidate brings both clinical expertise and the interpersonal skills to unite and inspire an experienced team. While prior leadership experience strengthens your candidacy, the institution values clinical excellence and research accomplishment equally highly, recognizing that great leaders often emerge from great clinicians. Your colleagues seek someone who can elevate Rochester's profile in breast cancer research while maintaining the collaborative, supportive culture that defines the Wilmot Cancer Institute. Most importantly, you'll bring genuine excitement about building clinical trials infrastructure and establishing Rochester as a destination for innovative breast cancer treatment.

This position offers the rare combination of established resources and growth potential—you'll inherit a strong team and robust patient base while having the freedom to shape the program's future direction. Unlike many academic centers where bureaucracy stifles innovation, Rochester's leadership actively supports ambitious vision and provides the resources to achieve it.