UF Health radiation oncologist Kate Hitchcock, M.D., Ph.D., has been named associate director for Access and Opportunities at the UF Health Cancer Center. In this role, she will use her expertise in leading clinical trials and broad range of health care experience to help the center train the next generation of cancer researchers, preparing them to lead advancements in the field.
Hitchcock, an associate professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology in the UF College of Medicine, will lead professional development and mentorship activities for cancer researchers across disciplines, with an emphasis on preparing participants to lead and address health disparities in their research or clinical work. She will facilitate the center’s strategic plan for workforce development, pulling in and sustaining the people who will drive its long-term goals.
“Dr. Hitchcock will fulfill a critical role of examining all the ways we can increase access for people from a range of backgrounds to enter the cancer research enterprise, whether they are faculty, trainees, community members, or external advisors,” said Jonathan D. Licht, M.D., director of the UF Health Cancer Center. “Dr. Hitchcock will also focus on ways to enhance member careers across faculty levels. Very often we focus on our earliest stage investigators, but we recognize that cancer center members at every level need to enhance their skill sets and further grow the impact of their work.”
Hitchcock, who grew up in Wyoming, took a less traditional route to medical school, spending a decade working as a nuclear engineer and driving aircraft carriers. The experiences positioned her for success in the clinic and the lab and provide her with specialized insight for her leadership role.
“As a little kid who grew up deep in rural America in a region with almost no health care, I dreamed of becoming a scientist and doctor, but the path to that goal was a complete mystery,” Hitchcock said. “I want to make sure all future and current scientists get the mentorship, support, guidance, and encouragement they need to set and exceed lofty goals in cancer science and care. Beating cancer is a team sport, and we need all of our colleagues in the fight, not left behind because of an accident of fortune.”
Hitchcock plans to set specific, actionable goals for the Access and Opportunities program based on evidence-based practices used not only by other cancer centers, but also academia, industry, government, and even the military. Collaborating with the Cancer Education and Training Program, Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, and other stakeholders, she will support programs to prepare junior, early-, and mid-career researchers for success in the workforce.
At the Cancer Center, Hitchcock serves as the research leader of the head and neck cancer disease site group, as well as chair of the Data Integrity and Safety Committee. A member of the Cancer Targeting and Therapeutics research program, she is currently leading a multi-site clinical trial run through the National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) focused on reducing the risks of treatment in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. In 2022, she was appointed vice chair of an NCTN committee tasked with broadening the representation of leaders in research.
Hitchcock received her master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland College Park and a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering before earning her medical degree from the University of Cincinnati. As an officer in the Navy, she was awarded two Commendation Medals, as well as a Navy Achievement Medal. She was also a Master Instructor in the Department of Seamanship and Navigation at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Her research interests include translational engineering research, clinical therapeutic studies in head and neck cancers, and chemoradiation treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer patients.
She has received numerous awards for teaching, as well as the 2022 UF Health Cancer Center’s Golden Gator award, which recognizes those who have demonstrated consistency in distinguished performance for the Cancer Center.
Hitchcock said the center’s recent daylong membership retreat gave her added motivation to meet the challenges ahead.
“My excitement has been fired up to help tackle barriers that stand in the way of our cancer scientists and physicians, wherever they are in their training or careers, and ensure that our whole team has a clear path to success with us,” she said.
