Georgetown University Medical Center Presents Inaugural Roy B. Sessions Lecture

June 10, 2009

In honor of Roy B. Sessions, former chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, GUMC hosted the inaugural presentation of a lectureship bearing his name in the New Research Building Auditorium on June 5, 2009. The lecture was supported by the Roy B. Sessions Fund in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Cancer.

Opening remarks were made by GUMC's Kenneth Newkirk, Bruce Davidson, Howard J. Federoff and Roy B. Sessions. "I always felt as though Georgetown was my home," Sessions stated. "Many of those in the audience are my former patients and residents."

In 1988, Roy B. Sessions was appointed as the chair of the Department of Otolaryngology at GUMC, where he remained until 1998 as chairman and director of residency training.

As this year's featured speaker, Randal S. Weber, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Head and Neck Surgery at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX, presented his lecture entitled, "Evolution of Head and Neck Cancer: From Scalpel to Targeted Therapy."

Weber discussed head and neck cancer, thyroid/parathyroid surgery, surgical education and its evolution. He also stressed the importance of the patient and doctor relationship, observing that "to build a reputation, doctors must know how to speak with patients...I was lucky to have Roy teach me that." Weber then featured head and neck cancer case studies, including the role of the surgeon in the assessment, staging and treatment recommendations.

Following the lecture, a special reception was held for guests, faculty and students who had an opportunity to interact with both Sessions and Weber, and to discuss Sessions' lasting legacy at GUMC.

(Top Left: Dr. Weber presents the inaugural lecture; Bottom Right: Weber greets guests at reception)

Submit your news at any time to the GUMC Office of Communications at gumccomm@georgetown.edu.



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