SurgOnc Today®

SSO Education Series—From Gaps to Gains: Building Clinical Trials to Advance Cancer Equity in Low-Resource Settings

In this episode of SurgOnc Today, Drs. Cherif Boutros, Juliet Lumati, Sergio Aguilar, and Olusegun Alatise discuss the unique opportunities and challenges involved in launching and sustaining clinical trials in low-resource settings, with a spotlight on cancer care in Nigeria. Through a conversational format, the speakers will share personal experiences and lessons learned from building trial infrastructure, navigating ethics and regulatory hurdles, and ensuring data quality and patient retention in fragmented health systems. The session will also highlight strategies for securing funding, fostering local and global collaborations, and designing trials that are both scientifically rigorous and contextually relevant. Listeners will gain practical insights into how clinical research can drive health equity, and how global societies can support the next generation of investigators in low- and middle-income countries.

Negotiating Your Second Contract

On this episode of SurgOnc Today, we discuss how early-career surgical oncologists can strategically approach 2nd contract renegotiations. Dr. Robin Schmitz is joined by Dr. Rajesh Ramanathan and Dr. Brett Ecker as they share contrasting perspectives, one having stayed and grown within the same institution, the other with a recent transition to a new academic center. Together, they discuss how to assess your value, understand leverage, and navigate decisions around compensation, academic advancement, clinical resources, and leadership opportunities. Whether you're planning to stay or considering a move, this episode provides practical insights to help you negotiate with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

SSO Education Series: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence in Surgical Oncology

On this episode of SurgOnc Today, Ko Un (Clara) Park, MD and Andrea Abbott, MD, MCSR lead a discussion with Taiwo Adesoye, MD and Kevin Hughes, MD to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tools are revolutionizing clinical decision-making and patient outcomes in surgical oncology. Real-world applications such as pathology image analysis, assistance during tumor board, and utilizing "ambient scribing" to reduce documentation burdens are discussed.

Negotiating Your First Contract

In this episode of SurgOnc Today, Dr. Lily Saadat is joined by Dr. Austin Williams and Dr. Mackenzie Shindorf to discuss negotiating your first contract as a surgical attending. This podcast is geared towards trainees who are preparing to transition from training to independent practice and will cover what matters most in a contract, common pitfalls to avoid, and how to best advocate for yourself during this process.

SSO Education Series: Joining Cooperative Group Trial

On this episode of SurgOnc Today, Flavio Rocha, Professor and Division Head of Surgical Oncology at OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, leads a discussion about engagement of surgeons in the National Clinical Trials Network cooperative groups with Sepideh Gholami, Associate Professor and Director of Translational Research in Surgical Oncology at Northwell Health, and Michael Lowe, Associate Professor and Director of the Melanoma Program at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. They discuss the impact that surgeons can have on the design and implementation of NCI-sponsored clinical trials and offer insights on ways for surgeons to engage with the cooperative groups.