Why I Chose Oncology : Dr. Zhuoyan Li

Dr. Zhuoyan “Yan” Li finds medical oncology rewarding for the opportunity it offers to get to know her patients and their families. It’s something she had the chance to observe firsthand when she was still a college student, and her mother was being treated for breast cancer. 

“It was a very impactful time,” she recalls, influencing her future career path. 

As she considered her options throughout college and much of medical school, there was no doubt in her mind she would choose to pursue medical oncology and hematology. She has the opportunity to care for “the person as a whole. I get to be an integral part of the patient’s life.” In treating her patients, she sees herself as a guide, while they consider the best approach together. 

As Chief of Hematology, Dr. Li combines service with science. As research expands understanding of cancer, staying at the leading edge of treatment options is intellectually challenging, as well.