Daniel L. Clarke-Pearson Elected 42nd President of The Society of Gynecologic Oncologists

CHICAGO, March 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Daniel L. Clarke-Pearson, MD, Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Robert A. Ross Professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, has been elected the 42nd President of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists (SGO) at the organization's 41st Annual Meeting, held March 14-17, 2010 in San Francisco, California.

Dr. Clarke-Pearson received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.   He received his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, in Cleveland, Ohio before going on to Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina for his residency, serving as Assistant Resident and Chief Resident in Obstetrics and Gynecology before completing his Fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology.

After serving as Assistant Professor and then Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke, Dr. Clarke-Pearson left to become Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.  During his tenure at UIC, Dr. Clarke-Pearson was named first Director of Gynecologic Oncology and later assumed the title of Director of Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology.  He returned to Duke University Medical Center to serve as Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology as well as the Director of the Gynecologic Oncology Department, and was named the James M. Ingram Professor of Gynecologic Oncology, before joining the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in his present positions.

Dr. Clarke-Pearson has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles, more than 40 book chapters, written four books and made numerous regional, national and international presentations throughout his career. He has been recognized for his writing on the subject of gynecologic cancer treatment, surgical innovation and, prevention of surgical complications.  He is the recipient of the Donald F. Richardson Memorial Prize for the best research paper by an ACOG Junior Fellow, the ACOG District VI Clinical Research Prize, and the ACOG Roy Pitkin/Elsevier Award for one of the top four papers published annually in Obstetrics and Gynecology.  He was named an American Cancer Society (ACS) Clinical Fellow, was awarded the ACS Junior Faculty Clinical Fellowship and has been named to "America's Top Doctors" for many years.

Prior to being named SGO's president, Dr. Clarke-Pearson served as the Society's President Elect, Vice President, member of the Education, Nominating and Clinical Practice Committees, was Chairman of the 1995 Program Committee  and was the Chair of the SGO Education Committee, and has been a member of its Council since 1994. In addition to his membership and work with SGO, Dr. Clarke-Pearson is a member American Gynecologic and Obstetrical Society, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Surgeons, the Gynecologic Oncology Group, the Society of Pelvic Surgeons and is a Board Examiner in Obstetrics and Gynecology for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

"As the first SGO president of the new decade, I am committed to working with our Society's leadership and members to advance initiatives and programming that will enable us to work toward our overall mission to 'eradicate women's cancers," stated Dr. Clarke-Pearson. "The face of the healthcare system in our country and abroad is rapidly changing and I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that the new healthcare environment poses – and to continue to advance the treatment and prevention of gynecologic cancers, improving the lives of our patients and their families."

The SGO is a national medical specialty organization of physicians who are trained in the comprehensive management of women with malignancies of the reproductive tract.  Its purpose is to improve the care of women with gynecologic cancer by encouraging research, disseminating knowledge which will raise the standards of practice in the prevention and treatment of gynecologic malignancies, and cooperating with other organizations interested in women's health care, oncology and related fields.  The Society's membership, totaling more than 1230, is primarily comprised of gynecologic oncologists, as well as other related medical specialists including medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and pathologists.  SGO members provide multidisciplinary cancer treatment including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery and supportive care.  More information on the SGO can be found at www.sgo.org.

CONTACT: Susan Morris, +1-312-235-4060 ext. 244, Fax +1-312-235-4059, [email protected]

SOURCE Society of Gynecologic Oncologists