William Chun-Ying Chen, MD

William Chun-Ying Chen, MD, who joined Northwell Health in 2018 as a radiation oncologist, is vice chair for radiation medicine quality and safety, as well as an assistant professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.

He first became interested in medicine, and oncology specifically, when an aunt who had been in remission from cancer passed away when he was in middle school. "Knowing that someone could be told they're cancer-free and then seeing it come back later was very striking to me," he says. "From that point on, I wanted to go into oncology to make a difference for people like my aunt."

After graduating from NYU Grossman School of Medicine and then acting as chief resident at University Hospitals of Cleveland, Dr. Chen chose radiation oncology as his specialty, as it combined patient interaction with cutting-edge treatment.

"With radiation, we are always looking ahead toward improvement, and I enjoy that pace of advancement," he says. "We …have the ability to deliver accurate, safe treatments and Northwell prides itself on keeping up with innovation in the field."

For example, a recent development with surface-guided radiation therapy is the ability to deliver treatments without the traditional tattoo marks needed for standard radiation.

"This might seem like a small thing, not having those tattoos, but it's a big emotional impact for patients," says Dr. Chen. "They're not carrying around the reminder of their disease, and that translates to a better quality of life after therapy."

Being able to work in a collaborative environment and be an active investigator for clinical trials are also ways that Dr. Chen deepens his commitment to patient outcomes. Another aspect of care he appreciates is being able to provide comfort and education to patients, especially because many who see him for the first time tend to be nervous about what's ahead.

"Unfortunately, many folks come in afraid of radiation and treatment, because they've heard or read horror stories," he says. "By giving them an understanding of the next steps, it takes away that uncertainty. They realize it isn't scary, but instead is a highly effective treatment."