Dr. Sandra L. Wong, the William W. Coon Professor of Surgical Oncology and Associate Chair of Clinical Affairs at the University of Michigan Health System, has been named Chair of Surgery at Dartmouth-Hitchcock and the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and Senior Vice President of the Surgical Service Line at Dartmouth-Hitchcock. Her term begins October 26.
Dr. Wong will oversee 13 specialty sections within the Department of Surgery at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, responsible for all aspects of research, education and clinical operations. She also assumes responsibility for surgical care delivery across all Dartmouth-Hitchcock practice locations, regional affiliates and partner Accountable Care Organizations.
“We’re delighted to have Dr. Wong join us at Dartmouth-Hitchcock,” said D-H CEO and President Dr. James N. Weinstein. “Her accomplishments at the University of Michigan, including her outstanding record as a surgeon, health services researcher, educator and quality improvement leader, make her a perfect fit for D-H as we work to create a sustainable health system, improving the lives of the people and communities we serve for generations to come.”
In addition to her leadership roles within the Department of Surgery, Dr. Wong served as Associate Chief of Staff for the University of Michigan Health System. She graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and then received her medical degree from Northwestern University. Dr. Wong completed her General Surgery residency at the University of Louisville and a clinical fellowship in Surgical Oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where she served as the Chief Administrative Fellow.
Dr. Wong is nationally recognized authority in the management of soft tissue sarcomas, melanoma, Merkel Cell carcinoma, and gastrointestinal cancers. Reflecting her skills and commitment as an educator, she received medical student teaching awards (2009, 2011) and the resident teaching award (2011) from the University of Michigan.
“I’m excited to have Dr. Wong join the Dartmouth community,” said Dr. Duane Compton, Interim Dean at Geisel. “In addition to being a successful surgeon and dedicated educator, she also oversees a program studying variations in treatment intensity in cancer care, which would complement Dartmouth's traditional strengths in this area of research.”
With over 100 peer-reviewed studies in the scientific literature, Dr. Wong is among the widely recognized health services researchers in academic surgery. With current funding from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the American Cancer Society, her current work is examining variation in treatment intensity for poor prognosis cancers. She also studies prognostic modeling for melanoma, socioeconomic disparities, and factors related to the quality of cancer care. Dr. Wong has expertise in the development and implementation of clinical practice guidelines and advises on health policy and technology evaluation nationally.
Dr. Wong serves on the Editorial Board of Annals of Surgical Oncology and Journal of Surgical Oncology and is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Oncology Practice. She holds or has held leadership positions in several national professional societies, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Association for Academic Surgery, and the Society of Surgical Oncology.