James Fan Wu, MD
Physician Scientist Immersion Program, Medical College of Wisconsin
Hematology and Oncology Fellowship
Which fellowship program are you currently in?
Hematology and Oncology Fellowship–Physician Scientist Immersion Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Why did you choose internal medicine? If you’re in fellowship, why did you choose that subspecialty?
Having many impactful personal and clinical experiences with patients with cancer, I knew that I found where I belonged. I’ve been able to walk with patients through their diagnosis, discussions for treatment planning and goals of care, before and after surgery, ICU transfers, the start of chemotherapy, remission, and for some the decision to go hospice and ultimately death. It is truly an incredible privilege to be able to guide patients and their family through their journey with cancer.
What lessons did you learn in residency or fellowship that will help you for the rest of your career?
For patients and families, empathy and compassion really make a difference. But the reality is that working in medicine is hard, working in oncology is hard, dealing with life and death daily is hard. We need healthy ways to process our emotions and let our walls down, and for some people that takes the form of crying. And that’s okay. Don’t be afraid of feeling and showing emotion. That’s what makes us great physicians and patient advocates. To quote one of my mentors, “Don’t stop feeling.”
What are your plans for after fellowship? What factors or advice from mentors contributed to your decision?
I hope to pursue a career working toward achieving equity in cancer care both locally and globally. Through my institution’s Physician Scientist Immersion Program funded by an R38 grant through the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, I was able to dedicate protected research time during my last year of residency and first year of fellowship toward building up foundational knowledge and conducting health equity research. There are so many communities that are not getting the cancer care that they need and have a right to, and I hope to be able to play a part in bridging those care disparity gaps. My formal mentorship committee through my research program has been amazing in their support and guidance, really helping me feel prepared and ready for the next steps in my career development.
How has being a member of ACP helped you in your professional life? What resources have been most helpful to you?
My local Wisconsin ACP Chapter was incredibly important in providing an opportunity to share my work in reducing COVID-19 vaccination health disparities through telephone outreach. This was my first oral presentation, and I was fortunate to win first place for my research vignette at our local Wisconsin Chapter ACP scientific meeting in 2021. This allowed me the opportunity to present at and attend the national ACP meeting and ultimately publish this work. The opportunities to network with local and national leaders have been invaluable.