Department of Radiation Oncology

Description of Clinical Expertise

Dr. Bekelman is a physician with and former Chief of the Genitourinary Oncology Service in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Penn Medicine. Penn Medicine's Department of Radiation Oncology, with locations in the greater Philadelphia region and New Jersey, is a world leader in patient care, cancer research, and education and offers today's latest technology and treatment options. Over the years, Penn Medicine and Penn Radiation Oncology have received many prestigious awards, honors, and recognition for our commitment to providing our patients with the highest quality clinical care. Dr. Bekelman specializes in the early detection, surveillance and treatment of prostate cancer. We work with clinical experts from urology, medical oncology, radiology, pathology, and advanced practice nursing to improve cancer control, outcomes, and quality of life for our patients. Dr. Bekelman also has expertise in the treatment of testicular and bladder cancer.

Description of Research Expertise

Justin E. Bekelman, M.D., is the founding Director of the Penn Center for Cancer Care Innovation at the Abramson Cancer Center, the Marietta and Howard Stoeckel Professor of Radiation Oncology, Medicine, and Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the Perelman School of Medicine, Faculty in the Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, and Senior Fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute for Health Economics, all at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Bekelman leads research programs to improve the length and quality of life for patients with cancer. His research focuses on health care delivery, payment reform and cancer care transformation, integrating methods from the fields of innovation, epidemiology, clinical trials, health economics and public policy. Dr. Bekelman’s research has appeared in high-impact scientific journals and has been featured by media outlets in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. His work has been funded by the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and philanthropic sources. He has served as an advisor to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on cancer care payment reform and innovation. Dr. Bekelman is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and a member of the National Cancer Policy Forum of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.

Dr. Bekelman completed his undergraduate studies at Princeton University in the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and his medical training at Yale University, Johns Hopkins, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Previously, he was a management consultant at the Kalchas Group, advising senior executives of health care and insurance clients on corporate strategy. Dr. Bekelman also served as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense in the US Department of Defense. He is a board-certified radiation oncologist and practicing physician at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.