Shikha Jain, Founder, Chair of the Board (Former CEO) at Women in Medicine and Associate Professor of Medicine at The University of Illinois Cancer Center, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“I had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Kimryn Rathmell, former Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), live at ASCO26 for Oncology Overdrive.
This was one of those conversations that stayed with me long after the cameras stopped rolling.
We talked about why physicians and scientists need to be in leadership roles, not just clinical ones. Some of the most important decisions in healthcare are made far from the bedside, and if clinicians aren’t in those rooms, patients lose a voice.
We discussed the importance of building community and professional networks intentionally. The opportunities that shape careers often come from relationships, mentorship, sponsorship, and the people who know your work.
We talked about social media, misinformation, and why credible physician voices matter now more than ever.
And of course, we talked about AI. Not as a replacement for human judgment, but as a tool that can reduce administrative burden and give clinicians back what matters most: time with patients.
One of the themes that resonated throughout our conversation was leadership. Not leadership as a title, but leadership as service. Using whatever platform, position, or opportunity you have to make things better for those who come after you.
A conversation about cancer care, leadership, mentorship, innovation, and the future of medicine.
The full 33-minute episode of Oncology Overdrive is available now. Link here.
If you enjoy these conversations, please subscribe to Oncology Overdrive, download the episode, and share it with a colleague. Those simple actions help us continue bringing oncology leaders, researchers, advocates, and innovators to the podcast.
What was the best career advice you’ve ever received?”
