image: Dr. Raymond DuBois said it was energizing to be surrounded by leaders in the medical field from across the globe during his induction as a fellow into the Royal College of Physicians. view more
Credit: Raymond N. DuBois/MUSC Hollings Cancer Center
Raymond N. DuBois, M.D., Ph.D., director of MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, has been inducted as a fellow into the Royal College of Physicians (RCP).
DuBois traveled to London, England, for the ceremony in July. He had been elected to the prestigious body prior to the COVID pandemic, which delayed the induction ceremony.
The Royal College of Physicians was established in 1518 by a royal charter from King Henry VIII. The college's founding aim was to professionalize physicians through an academic body that required a degree and an exam before entry. Today, the RCP seeks to "drive improvements in health and healthcare through advocacy, education and research." Fellows are senior clinicians who have demonstrated achievement and impact on the field of medicine.
DuBois said he was incredibly honored to be named a fellow. He was impressed, during the ceremony, by the breadth of physicians, from every discipline of clinical care, research and education and from across the world, who were being inducted alongside him.
“Medicine is a remarkably unifying discipline,” he said. “Across the globe, people are working together to figure out complex medical problems and share their knowledge and discoveries. They all want to improve the health of their populations and of patients everywhere. Sharing knowledge and expertise is the most energizing aspect of these gatherings.”
He noted that the dinner after the RCP induction ceremony was a bit of a full-circle moment for him.
“The dinner was held in the Osler Room, which has meaning to me since I was an Osler Resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital back in the 1990s,” he explained.
Originally from Canada, William Osler, M.D., is considered the father of modern medicine. He developed a medical training program at Hopkins that would be familiar to any medical student today and was also named a fellow of the RCP.
DuBois was named the director of Hollings in 2020, after serving as dean of the MUSC College of Medicine since 2016. DuBois is internationally known for his work studying the connection between inflammation and cancer. His lab is currently studying how dietary fats affect the development of colon cancer.
In addition to his work at Hollings, DuBois serves as the vice chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee for Stand Up 2 Cancer and the executive chairman of the board for The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research.
In 2019, he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine, and in 2022, the American Association for Cancer Research honored him with its Distinguished Service Award.
About MUSC Hollings Cancer Center
MUSC Hollings Cancer Center is South Carolina’s only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center with the largest academic-based cancer research program in the state. The cancer center comprises more than 130 faculty cancer scientists and 20 academic departments. It has an annual research funding portfolio of more than $44 million and sponsors more than 200 clinical trials across the state. Dedicated to preventing and reducing the cancer burden statewide, the Hollings Office of Community Outreach and Engagement works with community organizations to bring cancer education and prevention information to affected populations. Hollings offers state-of-the-art cancer screening, diagnostic capabilities, therapies and surgical techniques within its multidisciplinary clinics. Hollings specialists include surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, psychologists and other clinical providers equipped to provide the full range of cancer care. For more information, visit hollingscancercenter.musc.edu.