We are pleased to announce that the Dartmouth Health Board of Trustees and Dartmouth Board of Trustees have formally elevated Radiation Oncology from a section within the Department of Medicine to full department status. The new department, which will be known as the Department of Radiation Oncology and Applied Sciences, will be under the leadership of Inaugural Chair Charles R. Thomas, Jr., MD.
The operational date for this change is July 2024.
Dr. Thomas has served as the Section Chief, Radiation Oncology since September 2021, when he joined Dartmouth Health from Oregon Health & Science University where he was Chair of the Department of Radiation Medicine. He has provided strategic vision and leadership for the growth and expansion of clinical services, as well as the section’s education and research activities, successfully stewarding it to full department status.
Dr. Thomas, a 1979 graduate of Dartmouth College, is a Professor of Medicine at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and has served as Associate Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Dartmouth Cancer Center.
This change brings us into alignment with other academic medical centers with National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated cancer centers. It will raise the visibility of our programs, drive technical innovation, attract research dollars and improve treatment outcomes for cancer patients and their families.
We look forward to the Department of Radiation Oncology and Applied Sciences making a significant contribution to Dartmouth Health and Geisel’s national reputation as a destination for cancer care, education, research and faculty recruitment.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Thomas and the entire Radiation Oncology team on this exciting milestone.
Duane Compton, PhD, Dean, Dartmouth Geisel School of MedicineJoanne M. Conroy, MD, CEO and President, Dartmouth Health