“Growing up, I wanted to become a cardiac surgeon because my beloved grandmother had open-heart surgery the year I was born, and I became fascinated with medicine after I had my own appendix out in high school as well as from watching the television series ER,” says Christina J. Wai, MD, a surgical oncologist at The Queen’s Medical Center in O’ahu, Hawaii.

However, Wai’s plans were upended during her surgical residency at Tufts, when she found herself fascinated by the breadth, depth, and uniqueness of surgical oncology cases. “Beyond the complexities from a surgical perspective, oncologic cases are profound in the way patient-surgeon relationships are built. For cancer patients, surgery is not a once-and-done visit. Patients will continue to see their surgeons regularly and become a part of your life as you learn about their hopes, dreams, and fears. I knew this was the specialty for me, as it integrated complex surgical procedures with long-term patient relationships, combining the technical with the humanistic aspect of medicine. This led me to Fox Chase Cancer Center for Fellowship training in Complex General Surgical Oncology,” says Wai.

“When I arrived, I clicked right away with Jeffrey M. Farma, MD, FACS, now Chair of the Department of Surgery. Dr. Farma was a great mentor—always approachable and interested in teaching the Fellows what it takes to be a great surgeon, researcher, and caregiver for patients at their most vulnerable.”

After Wai’s Fellowship and spending a few years as a practicing surgical oncologist, the University of Hawaii reached out to Wai to join their faculty. Wai says, “At the time, there were only a handful of surgical oncologists in O’ahu and all of Hawaii. I was intrigued by the challenge. Unlike in a major medical center like Philadelphia, there are few tertiary care hospitals in Hawaii. Patients often have to travel very far from the other Hawaii islands, with some even from the Pacific, to get the care they need, as we have surgical patients coming from as far away as Samoa, Guam and Micronesia.”  

“Through the years, my bonds with Fox Chase and Dr. Farma have remained strong. In February of 2023, I asked Dr. Farma to visit Hawaii and give grand rounds. As the Associate Program Director of our general surgery residency and with my commitment to education in surgical oncology, it was wonderful to have him here giving our residents a glimpse into the training I received at Fox Chase Cancer Center as well as allowing them to meet one of the mentors who was very impactful to me during my Fellowship. This has generated interest in the Fellowship at Fox Chase amongst our residents. I hope that my legacy from Fox Chase is giving the gifts of excellent training, compassion, and innovation to the new generation of surgeons.”