My philosophy is fairly simple—the patients come first. I try to spend time getting to know each patient from their initial visit through their entire journey through the treatment process. Each patient has distinct mental and emotional needs and I try to do my best to tailor my approach to suit those needs. That can only come from spending time and truly listening to the patient. Although, I may have greater medical knowledge about their disease, they have a far better understanding of their physical and emotional needs. In order to be successful in caring for the patient, a partnership must be forged between the oncologist and the patient, with each contributing to the development of a treatment plan that speaks to all of the needs of the patient.

- Ramesh Rengan