Jeffrey Farma

You currently serve as the Interim Chairman of Surgery at Fox Chase Cancer Center, Chief of the Division of General Surgery, a Professor in the Department of Surgical Oncology, and Surgical Director of the Melanoma and Skin Cancer Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center of Temple Health. Could you tell us what a day (or week!) is like in your shoes?  

A day or week in my life is somewhat hectic. I tend to see patients in the clinic one and a half days a week.  I generally operate on Mondays and Wednesdays but frequently need to add on cases Tuesday afternoon or Friday depending on the volumes, and the volumes have been very busy recently. I attend two or three multidisciplinary tumor boards a week (GI, Sarcoma, Melanoma) and I then have numerous meetings throughout the week both for Fox Chase/Temple and for other regional and national committees. Most importantly, I try to take some time to play tennis one night a week and make it to some of my children’s (I have three teens, two boys, and a girl) sporting events (soccer and tennis) and get home for dinner with all of us a few nights a week. 

What first interested you about becoming a Fellow at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia?  

I grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs and had been to both the College and the Mütter Museum many times for events. I was honored to be nominated to become a Fellow. Philadelphia has such a diverse and vibrant medical community, and I was excited to join one of the oldest national medical organizations that is devoted to upholding and preserving medical history, bringing physicians together, and promoting medical education in the Philadelphia area.  

We absolutely loved seeing your tweet that you visited the Museum this past summer with colleagues! What benefits do you feel these offsite wellness events bring to your team? Was it anyone’s first time visiting the Museum and how was it received? 

With the pandemic, we have missed out on a lot of bonding and networking opportunities as a team. I thought it would be a great idea to bring my Fox Chase Cancer Center Surgical Oncology division together for an evening of fun. We were so lucky to get docent Dr. Alan Schwartz to give us a personalized tour of the Mütter Museum. This was the first time visiting the Museum for many of my faculty and their significant others. Team building is critical for the wellness and health of our trainees and faculty. We need to be able to unwind, relax and get to know each other outside of the hospital.   

Tell us about your favorite aspect or memory of the College, whether it be an item in the Library or Museum, one of our educational programs, or an event that you attended here.  

I truly adore the Mütter Museum. Every time I have had the opportunity to visit, there is always something new and novel. As a surgeon, it gives me such deep appreciation of how surgery specifically evolved in Philadelphia, yet what we do today is not much different than the surgical ideologies and perspectives from our founding surgeons.  

What motivates you? How do you motivate others? 

I love being a surgeon and educator. I was motivated to choose the path of surgical oncology because of my passion for treating patients with cancer. I am motivated by discovery. I am motivated by education. I am motivated by my patients. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing the success of those for whom I have had a small impact on their career, especially our medical students, residents, and my surgical oncology fellows. I am enthralled to witness practice-changing discoveries that have impacted how I practice medicine and are currently improving the lives of the patients I treat. However, we still have so far to go.  

Who is a physician or mentor that has influenced and inspired you?  

Dr. John M. Daly was an inspiration and mentor to me and I truly miss him. He was the type of surgeon and leader that I strive to be every day. He always made time, no matter how many meetings, administrative tasks, or a busy surgical day, to meet weekly with the medical students and review case studies. He was passionate about education and mentorship.  He always took the time to give advice and strategy to plan out career trajectories. He was loved by his family and patients alike. I have the utmost respect for Dr. Daly and feel so lucky I was able to have him as a mentor in my career.