Q & A with SVMC's New Medical Oncologist

The Dartmouth Cancer Center at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) was pleased to welcome medical oncologist Dr. James Kalmuk to the team September 2023.

Kalmuk, who holds a master’s in interdisciplinary science from Roswell Park Cancer Institute, attended medical school at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY and completed his residency in internal medicine and oncology fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC.  

Q: Why did you choose to join the Dartmouth Cancer Center at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center?

A: My wife and I grew up in small towns in upstate New York, and while we enjoyed our time in South Carolina during the period of my medical training, we missed the beautiful scenery and the culture of the Northeast. When I interviewed at SVMC, I was struck by the compassion and enthusiasm the staff exhibited toward patients as well as how closely everyone worked as a team to provide the best possible care. I also recognized the need for a permanent medical oncologist in the community as well as the opportunity to foster a relationship with the specialists at Dartmouth, which in turn, provides patients innovative care close to home.

Q: What types of cancer and other disorders do you and your colleagues treat?

A: The skilled and multi-disciplinary team here at the Dartmouth Cancer Center at SVMC diagnoses and manages a wide array of disorders, which we typically categorize as either Solid Tumor Oncology, Malignant Hematology, or Benign Hematology. Solid Tumor Oncology refers to tumors involving the breast, lung, prostate, colon, and others while the banner of Malignant Hematology includes cancers of cells from the bone marrow such as Leukemia and Lymphoma. Benign Hematology often entails investigating why certain blood counts (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets) may either be excessively high or low.

Our tightknit team includes Dr. Mitchell Carl, Dawn Murphy APRN-ANP, Dorisanne Wonsor PA-C, and me, who focus on treating and educating patients with any hematologic and/or oncologic problems. We work closely with Dr. Matthew Vernon in radiation oncology and Dr. Allen Hutcheson in palliative care to bring a multidisciplinary approach to each case. I anticipate this all-inclusive approach developing further as we work alongside our new Dartmouth Health colleagues.

Q: What changes do you see occurring at the Cancer Center over the next three years? 

A: The top priority for the immediate future is community outreach and increasing awareness that patients do not have to travel long distances to obtain compassionate, state-of-the-art care. Plans are already in place to meet local primary care and subspecialist providers so we can best assist their patients with hematologic and oncologic needs.

We also plan to meet with the Hematology/Oncology team at Dartmouth Health so we can collectively plan how to best connect our patients with the extensive and impressive resources Dartmouth can offer. The Dartmouth Cancer Center at SVMC has an immense amount of positive momentum, and we are all excited to see how this momentum translates into enhanced care for our patients through access to new clinical trials and treatments.

To learn more about Dr. Kalmuk or any member of The Dartmouth Cancer Center at SVMC, click here.