Dr. Amanda Khan aims to make a significant impact in cancer patient care at the Calgary Cancer Centre
Dr. Amanda Khan, a second-year radiation oncology resident physician at the University of Calgary, was inspired to pursue medicine after witnessing the care her brother received when he was diagnosed with leukemia.“The ability to help patients through their cancer journey is a privilege and I am truly living my life’s dream by helping patients the way my brother’s oncologist helped him,” she says.
In order to best serve patients, Dr. Khan decided to train as a clinician-scientist. This is a physician with a medical degree who also obtains a Ph.D. degree to perform clinically relevant research.
“Not only do I see patients in the clinic and help treat their cancer, but I also perform research that can directly impact their care and improve their quality of life.”
After receiving her MD/Ph.D. dual degree at the University of Toronto, she chose the University of Calgary for residency because of the world-class clinicians and the upcoming Calgary Cancer Centre which will be one of the largest comprehensive cancer centres in North America.
“In terms of Calgary’s excellence, not only do the radiation oncologists here engage in incredible cancer research but their clinical knowledge and bedside manner made such an impression on me during my elective here, that I was willing to move halfway across the country during the pandemic to train with them. I also chose to train at the University of Calgary because of the new Calgary Cancer Centre. Being able to be at the vanguard of cancer care and treatment delivery in Canada is an incredible opportunity. My future goal is to become a clinician-scientist radiation oncologist at the Calgary Cancer Centre and have my own research laboratory to help make cancer treatments safer and better.”
To Dr. Khan, the words OWN.CANCER reflects exactly what she tries to do every day.
“As a radiation oncology resident physician, I try to take control over cancer and own it via imaging, safe radiation delivery and research so that my patients can live their lives.”
At the new Calgary Cancer Centre, we’re bringing together researchers, medical teams, prevention experts, patients and families in ways never before possible.
Click here to learn about the five critical areas in which we aim to tackle cancer.
You can help clinicians and researchers like Amanda perform world-class cancer research by making a donation to the OWN.CANCER campaign today.
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