Dr. Enke named American Society of Radiation Oncology fellow

Charles Enke, MD, professor and chair of the UNMC Department of Radiation Oncology, has been named a fellow of the American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). Dr. Enke joins Weining (Ken) Zhen, MD, who was the department’s first ASTRO Fellow.

ASTRO is the world’s largest society for radiation oncology professionals. Dr. Enke, who also holds Bill Bures & Jerry Pabst Chair in Radiation Oncology at UNMC, will have his FASTRO designation recognized at an awards ceremony in Chicago on Oct. 26 during ASTRO’s 63rd Annual Meeting.

“Going through the application process provided me a rare opportunity to reflect on what I had accomplished during my career,” Dr. Enke said “What struck me the most was the really significant impact the department staff and faculty have had on advancing the care of cancer patients. Being named an ASTRO Fellow has meant more to me than I ever would have imagined.”

“Dr. Enke joins an elite group of just 28 physicians and medical physicists who are recognized this year for their far-reaching contributions to the field of radiation oncology and their progress in advancing cancer research, education and patient care,” said Thomas J. Eichler, MD, FASTRO, Chair of the ASTRO Board of Directors. “Congratulations to Dr. Enke for achieving the designation of ASTRO Fellow.”

Bradley Britigan, MD, dean of the UNMC College of Medicine, also offered his congratulations to Dr. Enke.

“With this honor, Dr. Enke’s peers have affirmed what those of us at UNMC have known for many years: He is an exceptional radiation oncologist,” Dr. Britigan said.

Fewer than 4% of ASTRO members are fellows. ASTRO fellowship is based on considerations such as merit, length of continuous ASTRO membership, substantial service to ASTRO and significant contributions to the field of radiation oncology. Fellows made commendable contributions to the advancement of the goals of the society and the specialty.

Dr. Zhen called Dr. Enke an exceptionally talented and effective leader/administrator as well as a dedicated physician, educator and researcher. He noted how the department had grown under Dr. Enke’s leadership.

“Since Dr. Enke became the chair of the department, I have witnessed fundamental changes in all aspects integral to an academic program,” Dr. Zhen said. “I deeply appreciate Dr. Enke’s conviction and commitment to the department and the oncology service line as a whole. He has been a strong advocate for the mission of radiation oncology.

“When it comes to faculty development, Dr. Enke not only cares about faculty member’s achievement, but equally important, their overall well-being,” Dr. Zhen said. “I can attest that without Dr. Enke’s insightful guidance and strong support, I would have not achieved what I have.”

Dr. Enke also has been a strong supporter of research in the department, Dr. Zhen said.

“The research activities have soared since Dr. Enke emphasized the importance of developing a research program,” he said. “This has been demonstrated by the large number of publications and research projects, both clinical as well as bench research, that have been accomplished by the department faculty. Twenty years ago, there were few publications for the entire department, and now there are hundreds of peer-reviewed publications — including the 114 that directly involved Dr. Enke.”

More information about the Fellows program is available via the ASTRO website, including the complete list of ASTRO Fellows and information about the nomination and selection process.