Professor uses his own thymic cancer journey to teach medical students about real-world oncology

David Elkowitz, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, writes about how his personal battle with thymic cancer shapes his teaching.

He now brings his own case into first-year curricula, allowing students to meet the patient, the family and the oncologist, and to see the emotional and decision-making aspects of cancer care.

Elkowitz argues that linking scientific concepts to a real person makes the learning experience more humanistic and prepares future physicians for the realities of patient care.

Diagnosed in 2017 with a rare, aggressive thymic tumor, he uses his ongoing treatment journey as a living example for students.