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Purcell
Tom Purcell, MD, MBA

Tom Purcell, MD, MBA

Medical Oncology

  • Physician, Fred Hutch
  • Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Fred Hutch
  • Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch
  • Clinical Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine

About

Dr. Tom Purcell is vice president and chief medical officer of Fred Hutch. He is a board-certified medical oncologist and researcher who sees patients with gastrointestinal cancer.


Background

In his leadership role, Dr. Purcell oversees outpatient clinics and is responsible for ensuring that Fred Hutch provides high-quality clinical care. As a physician, Dr. Purcell cares for patients with gastrointestinal cancers, including liver cancer. 

Dr. Purcell’s research includes studying how exercise supports cancer survivorship. He carries out clinical trials of new drugs for patients with lung cancer, mesothelioma and other cancers.

Area of Clinical Practice
Immunocompromised patients, solid organ and hematopoietic cell transplant recipients, hematologic malignancies


“I feel very fortunate to have a career in medicine and being able to care for oncology patients. It is a privilege for me to be a medical oncologist. I truly enjoy getting to know my patients and work very hard to meet their clinical and emotional needs. I love practicing at Fred Hutch because I am able to work within a team of specialists to facilitate state of the art treatment in a compassionate, patient centered way.”

— Dr. Purcell


Diseases Treated

Research Interests

Novel treatments for gastrointestinal malignancies

New cancer drug development

Cancer survivorship, including the benefits of physical exercise and weight training for cancer patients

Languages

English

Education and Experience

Fellowship, Medical Oncology, Johns Hopkins University, 2002

Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 2000

Residency, Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 2000

MD, Emory University School of Medicine, 1996

MBA, University of Chicago, 1991

BS, Physics; Chemistry, Millsaps College, 1985

Board Certifications

Medical Oncology, 2019; Internal Medicine; American Board of Internal Medicine

Clinical Trials

We make promising new treatments available to you through studies called clinical trials led by Fred Hutch physicians and researchers. Many of these trials at Fred Hutch have led to FDA-approved treatments and have improved standards of care globally. Together, you and your physician can decide if a study is right for you. 

View Clinical Trials

Publications

Many of our Fred Hutch physicians and researchers conduct ongoing research to improve standards of patient care. Their work is evaluated by others in their field and selected for publication to the United States National Library of Medicine, the largest medical library in the world. See scientific papers this Fred Hutch physician has written. 

View Dr. Purcell's Publications

Your Care Team

At Fred Hutch, you receive care from a team of providers with extensive experience in your disease. Your team includes physicians, a patient care coordinator, a registered nurse, an advanced practice provider and others, based on your needs. You also have access to experts like registered dieticians, social workers, acupuncturists, psychiatrists and more who specialize in supporting people with cancer or blood disorders.

Insurance

Fred Hutch accepts most national private health insurance plans as well as Medicare. We also accept Medicaid for people from Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. We are working to ensure that everyone, no matter what their financial situation, has access to the care they need.

Stories

All news
Delivering the best possible cancer care Chief medical officer Tom Purcell emphasizes the importance of improving the patient experience November 6, 2025

Contact Information