Education

Whitman College, Washington

Medical School

University of Washington
School of Medicine, Seattle

Residencies

Internal Medicine
University of Utah Hospitals, Salt Lake City

Additional

Dr. Birchfield traveled from the sunny Arizona Cancer Center to join Puget Sound Cancer Centers in 1991. Both his father and grandfather were physicians in Seattle so returning to Washington State was coming home for him. According to Dr. Birchfield, to be a good oncologist, you need to be a good internist first - a good all-around doctor as well as a cancer specialist.

Other than the constant challenges oncology presents, Dr. Birchfield likes the fact that his patients truly appreciate what he does on their behalf.

When not in the clinic, Dr. Birchfield enjoys being with his family, participating in sports, outdoor activities and coaching children's athletic teams.

"I do everything I can to make each patient more comfortable - physically and emotionally. One is just as important as the other."

 

Education

University of California, Berkeley

Ph.D., Pharmaceutics/Bioengineering
University of Utah, Salt Lake City

Medical School

University of Utah, School of Medicine

Residencies

Residencies
                   
Penn State University, Hershey Medical Center

University of Wisconsin Hospital

Fellowship, Hematology
University of Wisconsin Cancer Center

Senior Fellowship, Oncology
University of Washington School of Medicine

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Additional

American Society of Clinical Oncology
American Society of Hematology

Coming from a family of medical and pharmacy professionals, Dr. Dong first achieved his doctorate in pharmacy before going on to medical school and specializing in hematology and oncology. In 1998, he was recruited to the Seattle office of Puget Sound Cancer Centers. His attraction to Puget Sound Cancer Centers was simple.

Dr. Dong holds special interest in new advances in treatments and empowering patients to make the most informed choices that are best for them.

“Here, you get good patient support and care, and a nurturing environment. It’s not rushed and as your doctors, we can make choices in the treatments we pursue.“

 

Education

University of Virginia, Charlottesville

Medical School

University of Virginia, School of Medicine, Charlottesville

Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
Statistics and Clinical Trial Design

Residencies

Internal Medicine, Medical Center Hospital of Vermont, Burlington

Chief Medical Resident, Clinical Instructor,
Medical Center Hospital of Vermont

Fellowship, Divisions of Hematology, Medical Oncology and Transplantation
Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina

Additional

American Society of Clinical Oncology
Southwest Oncology Group

At the age of three, Dr. Johnston knew exactly what she going to do as an adult, and she never changed her mind. She was going to be a doctor. The road that led to medical oncology as a specialty was more gradual, however. During her third year residency, she encountered outpatient medical oncology for the first time.

After practicing medical oncology at a large, multi-specialty practice in Seattle, Dr. Johnston draws a special satisfaction from working with a team of compassionate professionals, all dedicated solely to the care of cancer patients.

"Everything here is focused on the patient and on one specialty - cancer care. It's set up to be more efficient, more personalized yet state-of-the art. I know my patients will notice that everything is geared towards them."

As a mother of three young children, Dr. Johnston fills her free time with cooking, running, bikeriding, skiing and watching her daughters play sports. She's also been known to wash a mean window.

“I liked the complexity of oncology, the challenge and the fact that you’re bringing the full scope of your medical skills in to caring for your patient as well as their families.”

 

Education

Harvard College, Massachusetts

Medical School

Yale Medical School, New Haven

Residencies

Internal Medicine
Hospitals of the University of Pittsburgh

Fellowship, Hematology/Oncology
University of Washington School of Medicine

Additional

Medical Director, Seattle Breast Center

Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine
University of Washington

American Society of Clinical Oncology
Medical Advisory Board, Cancer Lifeline

Dr. Lee's father, an anesthesiologist, influenced his choice to go into medicine. Dr. Lee, however, chose to specialize in medical oncology because he was drawn to the human side of patient care as well as to the exciting prospect of seeing an incurable disease become curable. He came to Seattle originally to study bone marrow transplants, but changed course and joined Puget Sound Cancer Centers to fulfill a lifelong desire to make patient care his highest priority.

Dr. Lee holds the belief that quality of life, as well as length of life, are equally important in cancer care.

“Since coming here, I’ve become extremely interested in cancer pain management and in multidisciplinary team approaches to specific cancers, such as breast cancer.”

 

Education

John Carroll University, Ohio

Medical School

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore

Residencies

Internal Medicine
University of Washington School of Medicine

Senior Fellowship, Clinical Associate
Hematology/Oncology, Pathology
National Institutes of Health, Bethesda

Additional

Past and current President, Washington State Medical Oncology Society

Member, American Society of Clinical Oncology. Fellow, American College of Physicians (F.A.C.P.)

Member, American Society of Hematology Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Washington.

After starting his own private practice in medical oncology/hematology in 1975, Dr. McGee formed Puget Sound Cancer Center/Edmonds with partner Dr. Marc Rosenshein in 1992. Their goal was to develop a community based, patient centered, state-of-the-art cancer treatment facility. Dr. McGee sees his job as not just fighting the war, but winning a lot of skirmishes along the way to make every day a little better for his patients.

Dr. McGee is driven to excellence in cancer care and internal medicine, mindful of the interplay between the two in order to maximize the results for each of his patients. His special interests are in cancer research, advances in cancer treatment technology, information computerization and cancer genetics.

“Oncology was the most challenging field of medicine in 1975 - and it still is. That’s why I picked it. Of all the areas in internal medicine, oncology was the hardest thing to do and do well.”

 

Education

Stanford University, California

Medical School

Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto

Residencies

Internal Medicine
University of Washington School of Medicine

Additional

American Society of Clinical Oncology

Dr. Markowitz was drawn to Puget Sound Cancer Centers’ community-based practice style in July of 1999.

“The size of our group allows everyone in the practice to know each patient. Therefore, we're all involved in supporting and helping our patients as individuals."

Having come from much larger centers such as the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centers, this held particular importance. Dr. Markowitz was originally drawn to oncology because he believed the doctor-patient relationship that develops would lead him to grow in his own knowledge and compassion.

The complexity and changing nature of both hematology and oncology is something Dr. Markowitz enjoys. He continues to appreciate this era of rapidly expanding knowledge, allowing him to bring new insights and treatments to patients on an individual basis.

Dr. Markowitz enjoys recreational basketball and coaching for both of his sons' basketball teams as well as wakeboarding, skiing, playing hearts and losing to his sons at Texas Hold'em.

“It‘s the patients themselves who inspire me with the depth and dignity of their responses to life’s struggles.“

 

Education

Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania

Medical School

Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia

Residencies

Internal Medicine
Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia

Senior Fellowship, Hematology/Oncology
University of Washington School of Medicine

Additional

Clinical Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology, University of Washington

American Society of Clinical Oncology
American Society of Hematology
Fellow, American College of Physicians

In 1980, Dr. Rosenshein opened his oncology practice in Edmonds, right next door to Dr. McGee. They shared common approaches to patient care and even shared on-call duties for their patients. Years later in 1997, Dr. Rosenshein helped to combine their Edmonds practices with Seattle's Northwest Cancer Center to form Puget Sound Cancer Centers.

Although Dr. Rosenshein sees patient with all types of cancers, he has a particular interest and expertise in the management of hematologic (blood) cancers and lymphoma. He also sees his role as helping his patients to negotiate the complex maze of available treatments and other issues, making care decisions easier and less confusing.

Dr. Rosenshein enjoys running, hiking and skiing in his free time. He also regularly participates in triathlons.

“I see my job as being the “quarterback” of care by securing everything possible for the care of my patients.”

 

Education

Columbia University, New York

Medical School

New Jersey Medical School

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark

Residencies

Internal Medicine
St. Luke’s – Roosevelt Hospital Center

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York

Clinical Fellowship, Hematology/Oncology
University of California, San Francis

Additional

American Society of Clinical Oncology
American Society of Hematology

Dr. Tolman started his medical career in research and soon learned that he was more drawn to working directly with people. And after volunteering in a hospital emergency room, he gained an even greater appreciation for the importance of how a doctor interacts with patients. He went into his residency knowing that outpatient oncology was what he was meant to do.

Puget Sound Cancer Centers attracted Dr. Tolman because he believes that outpatient oncology in community cancer centers is the wave of the future. He's also impressed by PSCC's level of participation and access to clinical trials that help move the treatment of cancer forward. The real challenge, he believes, comes from how he partners with his patients and applies these new treatments.

Seattle was a natural fit for Dr. Tolman's love of the outdoors. He enjoys hiking, backcountry camping, fishing, skiing and running.

"Cancer is life-changing. Yet this is also an exciting time for oncology because of the new research and developments. A big part of my job is gaining an understanding of how each patient responds and learns, then educating my patients and families about all of the options so that they are actively involved in their care decisions."

 

Education

Brigham Young University, Utah

Medical School

University of Washington,
School of Medicine, Seattle

Residencies

Internal Medicine
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

Senior Fellowship, Oncology/Hematology
University of Minnesota

Additional

American Society of Clinical Oncology
American Society of Hematology

Board member, Washington State Oncology Society

When Dr. Ward left the family cattle ranch in Southern Idaho for college, he'd originally planned to pursue a Ph.D. in molecular biology and a career in genetic engineering. Instead, he decided that all the best research was in medicine. He went to medical school still planning to make his mark in life through laboratory based research.

Dr. Ward joined Puget Sound Cancer Centers in 1993 from the University of Minnesota. He's served as Medical Director of Hospice of Snohomish County since 1994 and firmly believes that good oncology care shouldn't end just because chemotherapy does. Puget Sound Cancer Centers attracted Dr. Ward because it offered an opportunity to practice state-of-the-art cancer care in a compassionate setting. Every month, Dr. Ward takes a complicated oncology topic and makes it easy to understand in a column for a local newspaper.

In their free time, Dr. Ward and his wife, Joy, enjoy watching and helping their two children grow up. Dr Ward's forte is timing at cross country and swim meets, teaching Sunday school, serving as an assistant scoutmaster, and proofreading essays.

“Little did I guess though, how much I would enjoy clinical medicine. Oncology proved to be a natural mix of my dual love for challenging science and caring for patients.”