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VCU Massey Cancer Center’s own Harry D. Bear, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Breast Health Program and medical director of the Clinical Trials Office at Massey, will officially be inaugurated as the Richmond Academy of Medicine’s (RAM) new president on January 12.

RAM is an organized community of local physicians who engage through meetings and programs in an effort to advance health care practices and the medical profession for the benefit of the greater Richmond area and beyond.

Serving as RAM’s spokesperson and the face of the academy’s membership through a two-year term, Bear will act as the lead governing officer over all functions of the academy and its affiliated organizations, including Access Now, Centralized Credentials Verification Service and RAM Services Corporation.

In his newfound role, he has a vision to advocate for the expansion of RAM’s Honoring Choices Virginia initiative, which focuses on increasing the use of advance directives.

He also hopes to drive up RAM member involvement, especially from VCU doctors along with younger generations of physicians and health care providers.

Thirdly, Bear plans to embed himself within the membership of the academy to discover what new programs and services those members want out of it.

“I’m both honored and excited to usher in a new chapter in RAM’s history of advancing health care delivery and practice in and beyond Richmond,” Bear said with anticipation toward his new position. “Similar to what the CEO and founder of Amazon said when asked about the past and future of his company: This is day one for RAM.”

The inauguration ceremony will be held Tuesday, January 12, at the University of Richmond Jepson Alumni Center, with a reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:15 and an installation and general meeting at 7 p.m. It is free for all RAM members and $40 for any guest who wishes to attend.

Bear is the Walter Lawrence, Jr. Distinguished Professor in Oncology and chairman of the Division of Surgical Oncology, professor of surgery and microbiology and immunology at Virginia Commonwealth University. He is also a member of Massey’s Developmental Therapeutics research program and a surgical oncologist. He has been a member of the faculty at VCU for 30 years.

Bear’s clinical interests include breast cancer and other breast diseases, melanoma, sarcoma and gastrointestinal cancers.  His research interests include basic tumor immunology and T cell biology, pre-clinical and clinical studies of immunotherapy, translational clinical research trials and breast cancer treatment trials. He has authored more than 150 articles and book chapters. 

Written by: Blake Belden