As a youngster, Randa Tao, MD, found her passion for medicine while caring for a relative who was experiencing health issues.
“My grandmother had diabetes for most of her life and had to be on insulin,” she said. “When I was growing up, I would help with her insulin injections. Having that interest and exposure to trying to help somebody in a very direct way was what drew me.”
Earlier this year, Dr. Tao was named associate director of the radiation oncology residency program at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. Clinically, she focuses on the treatment of lymphoma, gastrointestinal, and thoracic malignancies.
Although she aspired to become a physician from an early age, the career path wasn’t in her family history.
“Nobody in my family is in science or medicine,” said Dr. Tao, who earned her medical degree from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and completed her residency at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. “I just felt like it was my calling.”
She’s also one of more than 1,300 skilled ABR volunteers, serving as a question writer for the Radiation Oncology Qualifying Exam and as an oral examiner.
Dr. Tao’s ABR duties closely align with what she does at Mayo Clinic. She believes that serving as a volunteer makes her a better educator.
“It has been helpful to guide my teaching, how I teach, what I prioritize, especially with knowing what is high yield,” she said. “A huge component in question writing is thinking about training the best doctors for future generations. It’s how we come up with clinically relevant exam questions.”
Dr. Tao believes that being part of ABR volunteer committees carries responsibilities outside of the meeting room. Just like her colleagues, she had to successfully navigate Initial Certification and knows that today’s candidates appreciate reassurance that the process is well-designed and fair.
“When residents are stressed or nervous, I tell them how there’s an incredible amount of work that goes behind every single question,” she said. “Multiple content experts are reviewing it. So much work goes into every question and every oral board case.”
Michael Yunes, MD, the ABR’s associate executive director for radiation oncology, was the chair of Dr. Tao’s oral exam committee. She credits him with helping her learn how to be a good oral examiner. He’s been impressed by what he’s seen her contribute.
“Randa is a very thoughtful and conscientious member of the committee,” Dr. Yunes said. “She has great insight into hematologic malignancies as well as the perspective of examinees. Her time as a volunteer with the ABR has been a great success and I look forward to continuing to work with her in the future.”
Dr. Tao came to Mayo Clinic this year from the University of Utah School of Medicine’s Huntsman Cancer Institute. Getting the position in Arizona was another step in a journey that she chose before entering medical school.
“I really was drawn to oncology, whether it was medical oncology or even surgical oncology … I was always interested in interventional fields with focus on treatment,” she said. “But the radiation oncologists were the nicest. I felt like I found my people and fit in well.”
Years after helping her grandmother, Dr. Tao is now assisting patients. She recently worked with a man who had cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, a condition that caused constant pain and itching. She treated him with total skin radiation, alleviating his symptoms and restoring his quality of life.
“He was so grateful,” she said. “He said, ‘Dr. Tao, if I could, I would buy you a car or even a house.’ I told him that the best gift was that he was doing so well and feeling great. He was so grateful, and I was happy to be part of that.”
