Internal Medicine

Mission
The mission of the Internal Medicine division is to provide cancer patients with the full spectrum of evidence-based cancer and internal medicine care including treatment, supportive care and prevention.

Vision 
The vision of the Internal Medicine division is to continually expand our lead as a patient-centered, research-driven internal medicine division in a comprehensive cancer center through the recruitment, retention, and development of the finest physicians, scientists, educators and staff. 

Onco-Medicine Care of the Cancer Patient
The Internal Medicine division provides Onco-Medicine care to our patient population. Division Head David J. Tweardy, M.D., coined the term “Onco-Medicine” upon his arrival to the division six years ago in order to emphasize the uniqueness of our sub-specialty in a cancer care setting.

With new advances in cancer drugs and the side effects they bring, the need for Onco-Medicine is even more essential. We are committed to building our Onco-Medicine footprint with a multi-faceted approach – clinical, research, quality and safety, and education.

Multidisciplinary, collaborative clinical care
Through MD Anderson’s unique multidisciplinary approach, collaborations occur from the moment a patient receives his/her diagnosis. Many of our own Internal Medicine clinicians in consultative services such as the Mary Ann Weiser Suspicion of Cancer Clinic, Endocrinology, Dermatology, Gastroenterology, and Pulmonary Medicine, are actively involved in making a cancer diagnosis.

But for the most part, clinicians within our 10 departments and four super sections offer supportive care to treat side effects like fatigue, neuropathy and skin reactions, which are specific to cancer patients.

As the number of cancer survivors continues to increase, the long-term management of the late effects of cancer and cancer therapy become of great importance. Our division has experts in the fields of bone health, pulmonary rehabilitation, cardiotoxicity, and renal complications of cancer therapy, to name a few.

Our hospitalist service, as well as our Emergency Center physicians, play a vital role in the treatment of our acutely ill cancer patients. Finally, with the creation and implementation of our Internal Medicine Residency program partnered with Baylor College of Medicine, we are developing our future leaders who can carry on this mission for years to come.

It is equally exciting to witness collaboration as our footprint is growing to the Houston Area Locations (HALs) and throughout our cancer network worldwide. As MD Anderson leadership explores new partner relationships, Internal Medicine physicians are called upon to exchange knowledge, ignite new ideas and develop new relationships to allow a greater number of patients to receive their treatment closer to home.

Team science highlights research talent, capabilities
More than ever, investigation of cancer-related complications, acute and chronic, has become a key item in the oncology research agenda. The era of the solo researcher attacking a problem is long gone, as quality research has many dimensions and requires a multidisciplinary approach.

With a rapidly expanding “critical mass” of investigators from different disciplines, the  Internal Medicine division has made impactful contributions to the research mission and agenda of our institution. Indeed, team science research in the division reflects the esprit de corps of our talented and diverse research force.

Taking advantage of the institution’s highly collaborative environment and robust resources, team science ventures within and outside the division have been formed. Most recently, Division Head David J. Tweardy, M.D., appointed a Toxicity Task Force for Internal Medicine researchers, both basic and clinical in nature, to take the lead to develop discoveries to overcome the debilitating side effects of immunotherapies.

Leading Change in Quality and Safety

More than a decade ago, Internal Medicine leaders realized the need for quality improvement initiatives to improve our patients’ experiences. In 2007, the Division of Internal Medicine Quality and Safety Council was established to create, implement, monitor and evaluate quality improvement efforts. The intent is to improve the level of performance of key processes and outcomes and to build a culture of continuous quality, safety, and excellence in patient care. In addition, a number of our clinicians are now members of the institutions Patient Experience Committee.

Building future internal medicine leaders
Forward thinking in education, too, the division received the institution’s approval six years ago to develop the Internal Medicine Residency Program in conjunction with Baylor College of Medicine. The breadth of this t,raining is unparalleled to most programs across the nation with residents receiving training in venues ranging from the county hospital to the number one cancer center in the country.

Departments within the division have established their own fellowship programs or participate in trainee programs with Texas Medical Center institutions that include McGovern Medical School at UT Health Houston and Baylor College of Medicine.