“I love being a thoracic surgeon and a lung cancer researcher and it’s the excitement for both of these things that makes it possible. It’s tricky to balance clinical work, the lab, and my family but ultimately it’s all very rewarding in different ways. I would encourage anyone, and in particular women, to pursue a career in thoracic surgery.”
Dr. Gavitt Woodard is an assistant professor at the Yale School of Medicine. With a stellar academic journey, she completed her medical school at Stanford University and pursued her training in general and CT surgery at UCSF. Notably, her dedication to advancing medical knowledge earned her an esteemed Intuitive Surgical Robotics Fellowship Award from the American Association of Thoracic Surgeons (AATS) Foundation during her fellowship years. Dr. Woodard’s research interests are centered around the intriguing field of thoracic oncology and the genetic drivers of early-stage lung adenocarcinoma. Her focus extends to exploring the pivotal role of the immune system and T-cell dysfunction in early-stage lung cancer.
Significantly, Dr. Woodard’s cutting-edge research initiatives are generously supported by prestigious grants including the American Cancer Society, the Yale Cancer Center, the International Lung Cancer Foundation, and the Yale Lung SPORE. Her particular interest in dissecting the genetic and immune nuances between semi-solid lung lesions, premalignant ground glass tumors, and small, solid early-stage lung adenocarcinoma addresses a growing unmet clinical need resulting from increases in outpatient CT scans and lung cancer screening.
As highlighted in her nomination:
“Gavitt Woodard is an assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine as an accomplished general thoracic surgeon-scientist. There are numerous reasons Dr. Woodard is a noteworthy rising star within our specialty. As a junior faculty, she has already quickly received grant research funding with her work in lung cancer. She also stays busy with a variety of OR cases. She is also an incredible source of support for other female faculty and trainees who are interested in academic surgery. Given all her accomplishments in just a few short years, both personally and professionally, it will be remarkable to see Dr. Woodard’s incredibly progressive career journey.”