Dr James R Baer, MD

​​​Dr. James Baer, radiation oncologist, had always wanted to do something where he could make a difference and make the world a better place.
“I wanted a meaningful career," he said. “My mother was a nurse and my father was an engineer. Radiation oncology is almost like marrying those two. It's health care, but with a technical bent to it."
Dr. Baer received his medical degree from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He completed an internship in internal medicine at The Reading Hospital and Medical Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. He completed a residency in radiation oncology at Loma Linda University Medical Center in Loma Linda, California and was chief resident. Dr. Baer is board-certified.
He sees adult patients for a variety of cancers, including brain, lung, breast, prostate, GI, and head and neck cancers. He's passionate about SBRT, or stereotactic body radiation therapy. SBRT delivers concentrated doses of targeted radiation to tumors. Instead of …treating cancers with low doses of radiation over long periods of time, SBRT treats cancers with big doses in a short time.
“My field has changed over the years with the advancements in technology," he said. “Patients needing radiation now experience less side effects, better outcomes, and they can get back to their lives sooner with shorter treatments."
Dr. Baer believes honesty and compassion from physicians are essential for good patient care.