Emanuel Medical Center General Surgeon Zhong Wang has been named to a prestigious three-year appointment as Cancer Liaison Physician.

Cancer Liaison Physicians are an integral part of cancer programs accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.

As a liaison, Wang's duties will include evaluating, interpreting and reporting the Emanuel Cancer Center’s performance data through the national cancer database and facilitating quality improvement initiatives based on data findings. He will also lead commission initiatives within the cancer program and collaborate with other agencies, such as the American Cancer Societyo, n behalf of the hospital.

Dr. Wang joins a national network of more than 1,500 volunteer physicians who are responsible for providing leadership and direction to establish, maintain and support their facilities' cancer programs. Dr. Wang, who has a significant interest in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with malignant diseases, is a member of the multidisciplinary cancer committee at Emanuel Cancer Center.

“The whole team at the Emanuel Cancer Center is committed to providing progressive, leading-edge cancer care, and the standards set by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer help us achieve that,” said Emanuel Cancer Center Executive Director Michael Iltis. “Dr. Wang’s appointment as a liaison physician is an important link with the Commission on Cancer, and I appreciate his service.”

Dr. Wang came to Turlock earlier this year after completing a fellowship in colorectal surgery at the Southern Illinois University of School of Medicine in Springfield, Ill., under the guidance of eight colorectal surgeons. He originally earned his Bachelor of Medicine and served his residency at the West China University of Medical Sciences, then worked on gene therapy as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania before completing his surgical residency training at the Brooklyn Hospital Center in Brooklyn, New York.