Suresh Nair, MD, Appointed Chair of American Board of Internal Medicine’s Medical Oncology Board

Suresh Nair, MD, Physician in Chief of Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute, was recently appointed to the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM)’s Council as Chair of the organization’s Medical Oncology Board.

“I am honored to take on this role, and I look forward to working with national leaders in research, education, and standard setting to ensure our specialty’s board-certification requirements are reflective of the ever-evolving nature of the medical oncology field,” Nair says.

Founded in 1936, the ABIM is a physician-led evaluation organization dedicated to establishing standards for physicians specializing in internal medicine and 21 subspecialties. The organization certifies nearly one in four physicians across the country, with more than 200,000 physicians currently board certified in internal medicine and related specialties through ABIM.

“Among that group, there are more than 14,000 ABIM-certified medical oncologists throughout the country,” Nair says. “Each year, about 750 additional physicians complete their fellowship training and take the ABIM exam for initial medical oncology certification.”

The ABIM’s Medical Oncology Board is comprised of national leaders in oncology, patient advocacy and nursing. These experts oversee the ABIM’s medical oncology board-certification process and make sure it is up to date and in line with the latest advancements in the field. In his role, Nair will oversee this committee and its ongoing work.

“The ABIM Medical Oncology Board serves the public by maintaining high standards for board certification,” Nair says. “Ongoing testing and evaluation allow physicians to stay abreast of the latest advances in treatment and care, which in turn leads to better patient outcomes and saves lives.”

As a member of the ABIM Council, he also will help oversee certification requirements that are fundamental across all medical specialties.

Nair has over 32 years of medical oncology expertise and has worked at Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute for more than 18 years. He was instrumental in starting the Cancer Institute’s Hematology Oncology Fellowship Program and also leads its membership in the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance, which expands the Cancer Institute’s ability to offer premier cancer treatment and clinical trials to individuals throughout our region.