Dr. Thomas Stringer, a recent addition to the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital family in the Department of Dermatology, brings a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to patient care and education. Dr. Stringer, an assistant professor in Georgetown’s School of Medicine, completed his dermatology residency at Albert Einstein School of Medicine/Montefiore Hospital, the culmination of a decade of medical training in New York City. His relocation to Maryland was driven not only by his desire to be closer to family, but to work in an academic setting where he could teach and provide top-notch dermatological care.
At MedStar Georgetown, Dr. Stringer’s role encompasses patient care and teaching. He practices at both the Chevy Chase and MedStar Washington Hospital Center locations, where he not only sees patients but plays a pivotal role in educating medical students and residents in the field of dermatology. For him, one of the most rewarding aspects of his job is when he can impart new knowledge or insights to the next generation of medical professionals.
Dr. Stringer’s work intersects with that of Georgetown’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, where he collaborates with an interdisciplinary team of doctors to diagnose and treat complex skin cancer cases. This collaboration involves pathologists, surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, and other experts, ensuring each patient receives the highest level of care. He particularly appreciates the teamwork and dedication of his colleagues in the cancer center.
Dr. Stringer’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer this past January, putting his family at the receiving end of cancer care. This experience has furthered his commitment to his work, as he shared, “My family and I attended her appointments as her breast surgeon, her radiation oncologist, and her medical oncologist guided her through treatment and into survivorship. At every step of her care, her doctors explained management strategies and therapeutic advances made possible only by the type of research conducted at Georgetown.” Dr. Stringer gained insight into what his patients and their families go through everyday, allowing him to connect with his patients on a deeper, more empathetic level.
While Dr. Stringer will be taking to the streets of the DMV for his first 100-mile Ride in BellRinger in one short week, he is no stranger to cycling. He began cycling in 2022, joining friends on various cycling tours, including a challenging 65-mile gravel ride. This experience and encouragement from his friends led him to take on the 100-mile route in BellRinger, a decision influenced by both his love for the activity and to honor his mother’s battle with cancer.
When Dr. Stringer was asked how initiatives like BellRinger will help further the scope of cancer research over the next few years and beyond, he shared, “When we were deciding between different treatment options for my mom, her radiation oncologist pulled up a nomogram, which is a chart of how cancer recurrence rates change based on the treatments that you do or don’t do. From a patient perspective, it looks pretty simple. You toggle different things on and off and the number changes. But the amount of work that goes into something like that is absolutely staggering — it’s something one can spend their entire career doing. The work that Georgetown Lombardi does is essential to positive patient outcomes, and BellRinger only helps to further that.”
As Dr. Stringer prepares for BellRinger, he looks forward to the camaraderie of participating in a large group ride and the opportunity to learn from experienced cyclists. He anticipates not only a challenging ride but also the opportunity to connect with survivors, researchers, and supporters who share his commitment in the fight against cancer.
