Medical Grand Rounds—once a cornerstone of academic medicine worldwide, where faculty, trainees and visiting experts discussed clinical cases, research and emerging issues—have declined in popularity during the past decade, challenged by busy clinical schedules and the ease of online access to new research. The shift was striking enough that in 2015 the journal Clinical Medicine published a paper bluntly titled “Requiem for the Grand Round,” which asked if the tradition had reached its end.
UNC Lineberger’s Deborah Stephens, DO, and Jared Weiss, MD, believe the lectures still have value and, at the request of Robert Ferris, MD, PhD, UNC Lineberger’s executive director and chief of oncology clinical services at UNC Health, are relaunching the cancer center’s Grand Rounds, which were on hiatus for the past year.
“We hope this revitalized series will encourage dialogue across specialties to improve patient outcomes and lead to collaborative research,” Stephens said. “This is critical to building and sustaining the academic culture at UNC Health and UNC Lineberger.”
Previously, Cancer Grand Rounds were held in the Lineberger Building and often focused on basic science. As part of the relaunch, Weiss and Stephens aim to broaden the program’s reach, making it more relevant to a wider audience across UNC Health and more accessible beyond Chapel Hill.
The inaugural talk will be presented by Ferris on advances in head and neck cancer care (“Tailoring Treatment Intensity in HNSCC: The Expanding Role of Cancer Immunotherapy”) on Tuesday, Oct. 7, from 4 to 5 p.m., in the N.C. Basnight Cancer Hospital Sanofi Conference Center. It will also be live-streamed for remote participation (registration is required) and recorded for later viewing.
Editor’s note: the Oct. 7 event has been postponed and will be rescheduled for a later date.
Weiss said the 2025-26 series will feature talks covering topics of interest to cancer care providers, as well as laboratory, clinical and community-based researchers. Audiences will include faculty, advanced practice providers, pharmacists and nurses from UNC Hospitals and affiliated sites.
“We intend to invite high-impact speakers who will share clinical management strategies and cutting-edge research in oncology,” Weiss said. “We also want to include patient stories to involve the community and discussion panels to spur collaborative research and clinical ventures.”
Attendees will be eligible for continuing professional education credits, including continuing medical education, continuing nursing education and maintenance of certification.
“By bringing together clinicians, researchers, and educators, Grand Rounds will serve as a vital forum for advancing the mission of comprehensive cancer care and academic excellence,” Stephens said.