PHILADELPHIA (November 30, 2023) — Robert Uzzo, MD, MBA, FACS, President and CEO of Fox Chase Cancer Center, was recently recognized with the Society of Urologic Oncology’s Joseph A. Smith Jr. Mentorship Award.
The award was established in 2020 as an annual keynote address in honor of Joseph “Jay” A. Smith, MD, a renowned urologic oncologist whose accomplishments include serving as President of the American Board of Urology, the Society of Urologic Oncology, and the Southeastern Section of the American Urologic Association.
His role in “mentoring trainees in the field of urologic oncology is among his proudest and most enduring accomplishments,” according to the Society of Urologic Oncology.
“It is a great honor for me to receive this award, as mentoring trainees has been, and continues to be, an important part of my career,” said Uzzo. “The legacy of Dr. Smith is one with which I am proud to be associated.”
As part of the award, Uzzo will present a lecture focused on the importance of mentorship and how it has shaped his career both as a mentor and mentee at the 24th Annual Meeting of the Society of Urologic Oncology, which is being held November 29 through December 1 in Washington, D.C. The title of the Joseph A. Smith Jr. Mentorship Award Lecture is “Take Inventory, Embrace Failure, Move Forward, Be Grateful.”
Founded in 1940, the Society of Urologic Oncology seeks to improve patient care by advancing science and education related to the practice of urologic oncology. It includes members from 70 countries who work to develop and implement new and effective methods of care.
“The value of the mentorship experience is one that cannot be understated. I am excited to be able to share my own experiences with the wider urologic oncology community and to underscore the impact these experiences can have for promising young oncologists,” said Uzzo.
As President and CEO of Fox Chase, Uzzo is responsible for leading its overall clinical operations. In addition to these roles, Uzzo is the G. Willing “Wing” Pepper Chair in Cancer Research and Executive Director of the recently launched Fox Chase-Temple Urologic Institute, a groundbreaking initiative that will concentrate on both benign and urologic oncology.
He is also the founding Executive Director of the nation’s second largest urologic quality collaborative, the Pennsylvania Urologic Regional Collaborative. He has served as visiting professor at over 50 institutions around the world and trained dozens of residents and fellows.