Chapter 19: A Return to MD Anderson in 2016 and Reflections on a Career

Dr. Balch begins this chapter by explaining why he returned to Texas and then to MD Anderson in 2016, retiring from clinical practice and devoting energy to mentoring young faculty's careers. Dr. Balch next reflects on his contributions to MD Anderson then on the changes to the healthcare environment he has seen over the course of his career. He explains that he had an impact on the field through his efforts to shift the practice of surgery from a reactive intervention to surgical oncology and a treatment development mindset implemented in a collaborative team environment. Dr. Balch then talks about changes to how surgeons develop their careers as researchers and as leaders. He explains that they need special support to develop research careers and this has an impact on how fellows are trained and how surgeons manage their working environments to encompass research. In the final minutes of the interview, Dr. Balch reflects on his legacy and what his long career has done for him.