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Dr. John Ruckdeschel
Educational Background
Dr. Ruckdeschel began his medical career after attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for his undergraduate education and then earning a medical degree from Albany Medical College, graduating in 1971. He interned at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore and completed a fellowship at the National Cancer Institute in Washington D.C. Dr. Ruckdeschel's residency was spent at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts and was completed in 1976. He is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology.
Professional Highlights
Currently, Dr. Ruckdeschel is serving as President and Chief Executive Officer at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and Cancer Center. The center is one of 41 comprehensive cancer centers in the United States as deemed by the National Cancer Institute. He also holds the position of Associate Dean of Cancer Affairs at Wayne State University's School of Medicine.
Prior to his current positions, Dr. Ruckdeschel served as the Center Director and Chief Executive Officer at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute at the University of South Florida in Tampa. During decade he spent there, he helped to transform the Moffitt Cancer Center from a small university hospital to on of the worlds leading cancer centers. The organization earned its first ever National Cancer Institute designation, helping to become a respected research and clinical center.
Dr. Ruckdeschel has continued his success at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute since he joined the staff in October of 2002. Since then, he has worked to strengthen and reorganized research programs and the administration to allow for the best site visit score in the institute's 26-year history by the National Cancer Institute. This rewarded the cancer institute for a five-year renewal of their recognition by the National Cancer Institute as well as a four-fold increase in yearly funding.
Today, Dr. Ruckdeschel continues to work to improve excellences in cancer research and patient care. He has supported a great deal of philanthropic fundraising efforts to recruit expert physicians, scientists and staff as well as continuing to build better facilities in an effort to make the Karmanos Cancer Institute one of the leading cancer treatment centers in the United States.
Clinical and Laboratory Research
Dr. Ruckdeschel's clinical and research interests have focused on lung cancer and behavioral oncology specifically improving patient-physician communication. He has authored or co-authored a number of books and articles and has had over 350 pieces published and 250 presentations. Dr. Ruckdeschel also has three active research grants awarded and four pending.
Aside from his recognition as a great leader, Dr. Ruckdeschel is internationally regarded as a leading lung cancer physician and researcher and is often found on the America's Top Doctors and Best Doctors List. Professionally, Dr. Ruckdeschel is a fellow of the American College of Physicians as well as the American College of Chest Physicians. He has served as a consultant to the National Cancer Institute and a number of university cancer centers. Currently, he chairs an external advisory board for Wake Forest Cancer Center and Penn State Cancer Center.
Contact Information
Dr. John Ruckdeschel
Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute
4100 John R
Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 576-8670
Source
B A Karmanos Cancer Institute Physician Profile

