Scepansky joins St. Anne’s Hospital Hudner Center oncology staff

I like my patients to 
feel that they can ask me anything and count on me. /
I like my patients to feel that they can ask me anything and count on me. /

Ellen Scepansky has been appointed to the medical oncology staff of the Hudner Oncology Center at St. Anne’s Hospital. She is a member of the staff of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the faculty of Harvard Medical School and brings a comprehensive background in engineering, science and medicine to her new role. She has a B.A. in biochemistry from Cook College, a B.S. from Rutgers College of Engineering, an M.A. in engineering and applied mechanics from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.D. from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

PBN: How has your background in science and other areas of medicine prepared you for caring for cancer patients?
SCEPANSKY: The time I spent as a mechanical engineer taught me to think logically. Though it’s important to pay attention to details, it’s hard to design a structure or solve a mechanical problem without looking at the system as a whole. Similarly, I see each patient as a whole person, and attempt to find the treatment plan that that will treat their cancer while keeping them as physically and emotionally healthy as possible.

PBN: Why were you attracted to practicing at the community-hospital level in southeastern Massachusetts?
SCEPANSKY: I had always planned to work in a community setting, where my concentration can be on taking care of my patients rather than other duties, such as teaching or conducting research, that would come with an academic position. That being said, I want to be able to offer my patients the best, most up-to-date treatment, which means I must continuously review the latest research in the field. As a Dana-Farber physician, I have access to the latest information, clinical trials, and lectures. I can confer with experts in any area of cancer care, and my patients in Fall River will have access to that same expertise, as well as a wealth of clinical trials.

PBN: What gives you the most satisfaction in caring for patients with a cancer diagnosis?
SCEPANSKY: I find great satisfaction in communicating with each patient so that they understand their diagnosis and every step of their treatment. I like my patients to feel that they can ask me anything and count on me to always be there for them and their families. •

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