Wade Swenson

Wade Swenson is a physician-advocate whose career has been defined by a singular commitment: bringing high-quality, compassionate cancer care to patients who live far from major medical centers. After completing his internal medicine residency and medical oncology/hematology fellowship at the University of Iowa, Dr. Swenson spent 17 years as Medical Director of the cancer program at Lake Region Healthcare in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, before joining Lakewood Health System in Staples in 2022.

During his more than 20 years in rural oncology practice, Wade Swenson recognized that geographic isolation, income inequality, and structural barriers — not simply lack of resources — drive the most significant cancer outcome disparities in the United States. This insight became the foundation for the Rural Cancer Institute, which he founded in October 2022 to shift the national conversation from documenting disparities to generating actionable solutions through research, policy, and best practices.

In 2025, Dr. Swenson was appointed Professor of Internal Medicine at the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, Texas — a remote position focused on student mentorship and research support. He also completed an Executive Master’s in Policy Leadership at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy, adding rigorous policy training to his clinical, public health, and business credentials.

Current Positions

• Medical Oncologist and Hematologist, Lakewood Health System, Staples, Minnesota (September 2022 – Present)
• Medical Director, Lakewood Health System, Staples, Minnesota (September 2022 – Present)
• Professor of Internal Medicine, Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas (October 2025 – Present)
• Founder, Rural Cancer Institute, Staples, Minnesota (October 2022 – Present)
• President-Elect, American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) of Minnesota (December 2023 – Present)
• Presidential Leadership Scholar (January 2024 – Present)
• AHA Next Generation Leaders Fellow, American Hospital Association (July 2022 – Present)
• Volunteer, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)

Education & Training

• Executive Master’s in Policy Leadership (Public Policy Analysis), Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy (June 2025)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA), Healthcare, University of St. Thomas – Opus College of Business (2020–2022)
• Master of Public Health (MPH), Epidemiology, University of Iowa College of Public Health (2003–2004)
• Fellowship, Medical Oncology and Hematology, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine (2002–2005)
• Residency, Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine (1999–2002)
• Doctor of Medicine (MD), University of North Dakota School of Medicine

Professional Experience

• Medical Director, Lake Region Healthcare Cancer Program, Fergus Falls, Minnesota (August 2005 – August 2022) — Led cancer center service line strategy and program development for 17 years
• Rural Health Fellow, National Rural Health Association, Washington, DC (January 2021 – February 2022)
• MBA Student, University of St. Thomas – Opus College of Business (August 2020 – May 2022)

Research Activity

Wade Swenson’s research addresses the structural, geographic, and socioeconomic drivers of rural cancer disparities in the United States. His primary areas of investigation include:

• Geographic distribution of clinical trials — Mapping accessibility of oncology trials for rural, minority, and underserved populations using ClinicalTrials.gov and GIS-based census analysis
• Income and rurality as cancer mortality predictors — Population-based analyses using SEER and NHIS databases to quantify how county-level income and rural-urban classification affect survival, metastatic presentation, and treatment delay
• Prior authorization reform — Multi-site retrospective studies examining how PA processes delay care for rural oncology patients
• Telemedicine and decentralized care models — Evaluating post-pandemic regulatory and reimbursement barriers to telehealth in rural oncology
• Rural cancer policy — Analysis of site neutrality legislation, oncologic drug pricing, and 340B program implications for rural practices
• Redefining rurality — Advocating for identity-based, community-participatory frameworks that more accurately capture rural cancer disparities

Academic Impact

• Geographic Distribution of Clinical Trials for Advanced-Stage Cancer (JAMA Oncology, 2024) — 10 citations
• The Case for Decentralizing Cancer Care: The Rural Oncology Home (NEJM Catalyst, 2024) — 8 citations
• Thank You for Being Here: Insights From Rural Oncology Practice (JCO Oncology Practice, 2024) — 2 citations
• Proposed Policy Changes to Cancer Care and Oncologic Drug Reimbursement (ASCO Educational Book, 2025) — 2 citations
• Redefining Rurality (JNCI, 2025) — 1 citation
• Geographic distribution and accessibility of clinical trials for advanced-stage pancreatic cancer (JCO, 2024) — 1 citation
• The role of income and rurality in US cancer mortality (JCO, 2025) — 1 citation
• Active mentorship of student researchers; research support role at Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU

Memberships, Honors & Awards

• Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP)
• Presidential Leadership Scholar (2024)
• AHA Next Generation Leaders Fellow — John A. Hartford Foundation Scholarship recipient
• Rural Health Fellow, National Rural Health Association (2021–2022)
• American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
• American Society of Hematology (ASH)
• American College of Physicians (ACP)
• International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis
• American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE)
• Healthcare Financial Management Association
• National Rural Health Association
• Institute of Healthcare Improvement
• Minnesota Rural Health Association
• Certified Professional Project Manager (CPPM)

Areas of Specialization {#specialization}

• Medical oncology: breast, colon, lung, and prostate cancers
• Hematology and hematologic malignancies (including myelodysplastic syndrome)
• Rural cancer care delivery and program development
• Cancer health disparities — rural, income-based, and racial/ethnic
• Oncology clinical trial access and geographic equity
• Health policy: drug pricing, prior authorization reform, site neutrality, 340B
• Telemedicine and decentralized cancer care models
• Medical education and mentorship in rural oncology

Publications

Wade Swenson is the author or co-author of more than 21 peer-reviewed publications focused on rural oncology, cancer health disparities, clinical trial access, and oncology health policy. His work appears in JAMA Oncology, NEJM Catalyst, Journal of Clinical Oncology, JCO Oncology Practice, JNCI, Health Affairs, and other leading journals.

Select Recent Publications

Jacobson I, Schroeder Z, Swenson W. Loneliness is Differentially Associated with Cancer Mortality in Rural and Urban U.S. Counties. Journal of General Internal Medicine. March 2026.
Jacobson I, McGovern E, Swenson W. Bridging the rural cancer gap: why clinical trials must include rural patients. Cancer Causes & Control. December 2025.
Hensold JO, Swenson WT. Putting Care Into Rural Cancer. JCO Oncology Practice. December 2025.
Hensold JO, Swenson WT. Telemedicine for Rural Cancer Care: Challenges and Unmet Potential. JCO Oncology Practice. November 2025.
Jacobson I, Swenson A, Swenson W, Yuan R. Associations Between Household Income and Cancer History in U.S. Rural and Urban Adults. Preprint. October 2025.
Pritchett JC, Schroeder Z, McGovern E, Swenson WT et al. Impact of prior authorization for oncology medications on practices with majority rural patient populations. JCO Oncology Practice. October 2025.
Huey RW, Pritchett JC, Vokinger KN, Adelson K, Swenson WT et al. Proposed Policy Changes to Cancer Care and Oncologic Drug Reimbursement: Exploring the Rationale and Anticipating the Consequences. ASCO Educational Book. June 2025.
McGovern E, Swenson W, Jacobson I, Kelso S et al. Income and Geography: Key Drivers of Disparities in Breast Cancer Mortality. Clinical Cancer Research. June 2025.
Swenson WT, McGovern E, Schroeder Z, Pritchett JC et al. The role of income and rurality in US cancer mortality: A SEER analysis. Journal of Clinical Oncology. June 2025.
Swenson WT, Swenson A, Westergard E, Schroeder Z. Geographic Distribution of Clinical Trials for Advanced-Stage Cancer. JAMA Oncology. August 2024.
Swenson WT, Westergard E, Swenson A, Schroeder Z. Geographic distribution and accessibility of clinical trials for advanced-stage pancreatic cancer in the United States. Journal of Clinical Oncology. June 2024.
Westergard E, Swenson A, Schroeder Z, Swenson W. Geographic Distribution and Accessibility of Clinical Trials for Advanced-Stage Breast Cancer in the United States. Cancer Research (SABCS Abstract). May 2024.
Swenson WT, Lindow M, Reycraft J, Westergard E et al. The Case for Decentralizing Cancer Care: The Rural Oncology Home. NEJM Catalyst. April 2024.
Swenson WT. Thank You for Being Here: Insights From Rural Oncology Practice. JCO Oncology Practice. February 2024.
Swenson WT. Bridging The Rural Health Care Gap: The 340B Program. Health Affairs. December 2023.
Swenson WT, Westergard E, Schroeder Z, Swenson A. Human-Centered Design: A Possible Solution to Rural Clinical Trial Enrollment. Oncology Issues. September 2023.
Swenson WT, Westergard E, Schroeder Z, Swenson A. Geographic distribution of clinical trials for common advanced-stage cancers in the United States. Journal of Clinical Oncology. June 2023.
Swenson WT, Westergard E, Swenson A. Rural health cancer care: A literature review. Journal of Clinical Oncology. May 2021.
Swenson WT, Swenson A. Myelodysplastic syndrome survival and secondary AML trends in the United States. Journal of Clinical Oncology. May 2020.