This week, the Department of Medicine is beginning a search for a new chief of the Division of Medical Oncology. Jeffrey Crawford, MD, who has served as chief of the division since 2004, will continue as chief until a new leader is in place.
"With the recent opening of the Duke Cancer Center and the creation of the Duke Cancer Institute (DCI), Chancellor Dzau and the health system have committed substantial resources to cancer care and research," said Mary Klotman, MD, chair of the Department of Medicine. "The Medical Oncology chief will have an important role in leading the 65 faculty members in the division and guiding their impressive research, education and clinical portfolio as it intersects with the DCI."
Dr. Klotman has asked Anna Mae Diehl, MD, chief of the Division of Gastroenterology, and Steven Patierno, PhD, new deputy director of DCI, to co-chair a search committee that will identify and bring forward the top candidates with the best administrative management skills, vision for the clinical and research missions of the division, and commitment to the education and training of both housestaff and faculty.
Dr. Crawford has served the Department of Medicine with distinction. Under his leadership, Medical Oncology nearly doubled in size, and the division’s 50 clinical faculty now see more than 42,000 outpatients and 12,000 inpatients in more than 5200 clinic sessions each year. Just as importantly, the division has published more than 1100 papers so far during Jeff’s tenure, reflecting a current research portfolio of $76,000,000 in funding, 111 grants – of which 36 are NIH funded – and 188 active clinical trials.
Crawford has overseen a fellow and junior faculty mentoring program and the training and graduation of more than 70 fellows.