"Fred Hutch Cancer Center" "Cures Start Here"

J. Phil Palmer, MD

Provider

J. Phil Palmer, MD

Physician, Fred Hutch
Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine

Specialty:

Hematology-Oncology

Fred Hutch at UW Medical Center – Northwest

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“I want people to feel like we’re on the same team, to have confidence in my approach and an understanding of what’s going on and what’s available to them in terms of treatments. You get so much power out of understanding your own body and the effect of disease because then you can make effective choices.”

— Dr. Palmer

What brought you to oncology?

As an undergraduate I majored in ethics and religion and minored in dance. After that, I went into teaching; I taught elementary and high school in Tulsa, Oklahoma. That experience is part of why I decided to go to medical school. I helped open the school where I worked and got to know the families well and realized I really liked addressing their problems outside of the classroom.

Being a physician was on my mind because my mother is an oncology nurse and my father was an ear, nose and throat surgeon. My mom's dad was a pediatrician for 50 years. He's my hero.

How do you approach providing patient care?

Education is still a major passion of mine. I feel like one of my biggest roles as an oncologist is teaching families and patients about their condition. How can someone really consent to treatment or know where to go for it without a true understanding? I take a lot of pride in this component.

I also think humor is such an important part of life and oncology. One of the things I ask every patient the first time I meet them is what brings them joy. We always look back to that when we meet to make sure you are still finding joy in some respect.

Provider Background

Area of Clinical Practice
Thoracic oncology, medical oncology, benign and malignant hematology

I am a physician who sees patients at Fred Hutch at UW Medical Center - Northwest.

I have always been interested in work that tackles complex issues. Oncology requires a deep understanding of both the scientific and human side of medicine. Helping patients is why I was drawn to the field. It is a privilege to help people and their families navigate a cancer diagnosis and the many approaches to treatment.

Community Oncology

Our mission is to provide patients with the highest quality, personalized care closer to home. As part of Fred Hutch, our community oncologists offer patients multidisciplinary tumor board opinions, clinical trials and expertise in treating a variety of cancers.

Diseases Treated

Blood Disorders

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Esophageal Cancer

Head and Neck Cancers

Hodgkin Lymphoma

Iron Deficiency Anemia

Liver Tumors and Cancer

Lymphoma

Multiple Myeloma

Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Pancreatic Cancer

Prostate Cancer

Testicular Cancer

Languages

English

Education, Experience and Certifications

Undergraduate Degree
Middlebury College

Medical Degree
University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio

Residency
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Internal Medicine

Fellowship
Dartmouth Cancer Center, Hematology and Medical Oncology

Board Certification
Internal Medicine 2021; Hematology 2024; American Board of Internal Medicine

Awards

Almy Professor Award for Teaching Excellence, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, 2025

Exceptional Service Award, American College of Physicians, 2024

Resident Excellence in Teaching Award, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, 2021

We make promising new treatments available to you through studies called clinical trials led by Fred Hutch physicians. 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

Many of our Fred Hutch physicians conduct ongoing research to improve standards of patient care. Their work is evaluated by other physicians 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. Palmer'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 dietitians, social workers, acupuncturists, psychiatrists and more who specialize in supporting people with cancer or blood disorders.

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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.

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