The Department of Urology is excited to announce that Hung-Jui (Ray) Tan, MD, MSHPM has been named the new Director of Urologic Oncology and will also become the Co-Director of the Urologic Oncology Program within the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Previous Directors of the Department’s program include the newly appointed Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Leadership Development Dr. Angela Smith, and current Chair of the Department of Urology, Dr. Matthew Nielsen.
“Dr. Tan is an outstanding leader who excels in multiple dimensions, from building innovative clinical care programs and teaching to research and quality improvement. I am confident that our urologic oncology program will continue to grow significantly under his strong leadership and creative vision”.
Angela Smith, MD, MS
Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Leadership Development
Vice Chair of Academic Affairs
Former Director of Urologic Oncology Program
“As a brilliant physician and researcher who provides exceptional care for our patients, Dr. Tan is the perfect choice to lead the UNC urologic oncology program.”
Matthew I. Milowsky, MD
UNC Lineberger Section Chief of Genitourinary Oncology,
Co-Director, Lineberger Urologic Oncology Program
More About Dr. Tan
Dr. Hung-Jui (Ray) Tan hails from North Carolina; graduating with distinction from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and receiving his BA in Chemistry and BS in Economics at Trinity College at Duke University. Dr. Tan later completed his medical degree at The University of Michigan Medical School, where he stayed for urology residency. After residency, Dr. Tan completed a urologic oncology fellowship at UCLA, where he also obtained a master’s degree at the Fielding School of Public Health. He joined UNC in July of 2016 and was recently promoted to Associate Professor with tenure.
Since joining the faculty, Dr. Tan has built up a busy practice within urologic oncology and an exceptionally productive interdisciplinary research program, all while contributing substantially to education and quality improvement missions.
As a urologic oncologist, Dr. Tan specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers of the urinary tract, including the prostate, bladder, and kidney, and is renowned for his expertise in robotic-assisted surgery. Dr. Tan has been consistently recognized by his patients with the Carolina Care Excellence Award as well as by his peers nationally with Best Doctors and Top Doctors recognition. It is Dr. Tan’s compassionate, patient-centered care that directly informs his research.
In recent years, Dr. Tan’s research has been highlighted by some noteworthy funding opportunities. In 2020, Dr. Tan received a Mentored Research Scholar Grant from the American Cancer Society to elevate visual designs of health information technology to more effectively communicate data to surgeons. In addition, in 2021, Dr. Tan and a team were awarded an Idea Development Award from the United States’ Department of Defense for the study, “Personalizing kidney cancer communication to support patient-centered decision-making.” In this effort, Dr. Tan is leading a multidisciplinary team of faculty experts from across the university in hopes to clarify how patients perceive risk and to foster a better decision-making experience through tailored communication.
Dr. Tan also serves on multiple UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center committees and programs including the UNC Cancer Care Quality Initiative, the Protocol Review Committee, the Cancer Prevention and Control Program, and the Cancer Outcomes Research Program.
In the course of his outstanding clinical care and research, Dr. Tan is an exemplary educator. Reflecting his stature in the eyes of learners, Dr. Tan received Attending of the Year recognition in 2021 from residents, a highly coveted honor with stiff competition. He has coordinated the Department of Urology’s medical student and resident research activities since 2018 and led a successful application to establish a fellowship with the Society of Urologic Oncology, for which he currently serves as the Program’s Director.
Dr. Tan’s dedication to patient care and research has earned him the respect and admiration of his colleagues and patients alike. His appointment as one of the Directors of the Urologic Oncology Program is a further testament to his exceptional skills and compassionate, state-of-the-art care for those with urologic cancers.
“It’s truly an honor to follow in the footsteps of Dr. Smith and Dr. Nielsen, who with our partners in medical and radiation oncology and our dedicated staff, have built a nationally recognized program that provides exemplary multidisciplinary care.”
Hung-Jui (Ray) Tan, MD, MSHPM
About the LCCC Urologic Oncology Program
The Lineberger Urologic Oncology Program is a multidisciplinary team within the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center that is composed of specialists across urology, surgery, medicine, radiation therapy, radiology, pathology, and nursing.
The program provides diagnosis and treatment for patients with genitourinary cancers and offers them a unique opportunity to be seen by multiple providers during a single visit. Patients also participate in a Patient Treatment Planning Conference, where all new patient visits are reviewed by the members of the program to create a consensus recommendation on the diagnosis and treatment plan.