BIO – Cardinale B. Smith, MD, PhD

Cardinale B. Smith, MD, PhD, is the Chief Medical Officer for The Tisch Cancer Hospital and a Vice President for Cancer Clinical Services at The Mount Sinai Health System.  She is a Professor for the Departments of Medicine (Hematology and Medical Oncology) and Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.   She also holds many administrative positions, including Chief Quality Officer for Oncology, Director of the Supportive Oncology Program, and Associate Director for Community Outreach and Engagement at The Tisch Cancer Institute.
Dr. Smith is an active clinician in both oncology and palliative medicine. As a member of the Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dr. Smith treats patients with thoracic malignancies, including non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, malignant pleural mesothelioma and thymoma. In recognition for excellence in clinical service and teaching, Dr. Smith has been the recipient of Mount Sinai’s Dr. Solomon Silver Award in Clinical Medicine and the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology’s Richard E. Rosenfeld Award. She was selected as one of 40 Inspiring Hospice and Palliative Medicine Leaders by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
Dr. Smith is an active health services researcher at the intersection of oncology and palliative care with a special emphasis on minority populations.  Her research includes a focus on doctor-patient communication, evaluating treatment disparities in cancer care, and determinants of cancer patients’ quality of care. She also focuses on characterizing barriers to optimal cancer and palliative care and developing approaches to eliminate those barriers.
Since 2012, Dr. Smith has served as Director for Mount Sinai’s OncoTalk program, a part of the national VitalTalk organization, which provides communication skills training for clinicians caring for cancer patients and their families. She is committed to empowering patients to participate in their care plans and determine their care preferences.