The Carroll County Times (Maryland) interviewed Dr. Bill Gai in a story headlined “Dr. Bill Gai brings medical research expertise to cancer treatment at Carroll Hospital.”
Dr. Bill Gai
Gai earned a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the College of Arts & Sciences at Ohio University.
A new oncologist began seeing patients at Carroll Hospital’s William E. Kahlert Regional Cancer Center over the summer. Dr. Bill Gai has a medical degree from Shandong Medical University, in Shandong, China, and a doctorate degree in molecular and cell biology from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. As both scientist and doctor, he has an interest in treating lymphoma, breast and lung cancers, as well as leukemia….
Q: You’re not only a medical doctor, you also earned a Ph.D. in molecular and cell biology from Ohio University. There are certainly great clinicians who have not pursued a research degree, and great biologist who do not have a medical degree — what motivated you to pursue both degrees? How do they complement each other and inform your practice of medicine today?
A: Once I graduated from medical school, I decided to pursue medical research initially to better understand medical science in depth. The rigorous training in a Ph.D. program afforded me scientifically critical thinking skills, which helps me in my current daily decisions in formulating cancer diagnosis and treatment planning.
One of the unique parts of medical oncology and hematology is that its diagnosis/treatment has been rapidly evolving, and in some areas, revolutionized in the past decade. The driving force behind all of these is advancement of basic medical science research, such as the advent of immunotherapy in treatment of melanoma and lung cancer and many other cancers. A good understanding of basic science behind cancer is very important for every oncologist. I am thankful for this training.
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