Ellen K. Chang, MD, MS

As a physician, I specialize in adolescent and young adult (AYA) oncology, including leukemia, lymphoma and cancer survivorship.

My care philosophy is to provide comprehensive, compassionate care for patients and their families during their active treatment and after their cancer treatment is complete. My goal is not only to help cure patients, but to empower them to have healthy lives and reach their full potential.

I wanted to be a physician relatively early in life but was not sure of a specific specialty. After college, I was introduced to the field of oncology as a basic science research assistant at Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute at Gachon University in South Korea.

Then while in medical school, I met an adult retinoblastoma survivor in the survivorship clinic and discovered my passion for cancer survivorship. Cancer survivorship is the perfect niche for my interests in providing comprehensive care for cancer patients and their families across the age spectrum.

The advances in pediatric oncology hearten me, and I want to focus on improving the long-term health of the growing number of childhood cancer survivors. Although there is a host of scientific literature on the late effects of childhood cancer, there is still much work to be done on preventing and treating these late effects.

I was honored to have received the following awards:

• 2004 – Guaranteed Professional Program Admission Medical Scholars Program
• 2014 – Internal Medicine Residency Choice Award
• 2016 – Chief Resident Internal Medicine/Pediatrics
• 2017 – Outstanding Medicine/Pediatrics Resident Award
• 2018 – University of Southern California Provost Postdoctoral Scholar

In my research, I studied cardiovascular late effects, particularly atrial fibrillation, in survivors of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. I have also studied the potential of telemedicine for long-term monitoring of survivors and I am researching ways to improve adult care transitions for childhood cancer survivors.

When I am not working, I have a passion for classical music and playing the piano. Unfortunately, my piano still resides at my childhood home outside of Chicago. In the meantime, I look forward to enjoying the beautiful outdoors of Cincinnati. I also enjoy traveling to new places and trying new foods.