Physician Spotlight: Judith Lightsey Brings a Patient-First Mindset to GI and GU Cancer Care
Judith Lightsey, MD, has rejoined University of Florida Health as a part-time clinical associate professor in the UF Department of Radiation Oncology. She cares for patients with gastrointestinal and genitourinary cancers.
Dr. Lightsey studied biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before earning her medical degree at Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C. She completed her residency in radiation oncology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.
Dr. Lightsey previously spent about a decade at UF Health caring for patients with breast cancer and lymphomas. She returns after working in private practice and is excited to once again bring her knowledge, skill and compassion to the UF Health community.
Get to know her in our Q&A:
Q: How did you end up going into medicine, and why did you decide to specialize in radiation oncology?
A: I loved math and science in high school and knew I wanted to do something related to science. My top choices were engineering and medicine. I was able to get exposure to medicine in high school through the Future Physicians Club and as a hospital volunteer. In college, I decided that medicine would allow me to have more interaction with people than engineering, so I chose to pursue a career in medicine. During my medical school, I did a rotation in the radiation oncology department and fell in love with that specialty.
Q: What are your research interests?
A: In the past, my research focused on innovative treatments for breast cancer. Going forward, I intend to focus on best practices for the treatment of genitourinary malignancies such as prostate cancer.
Q: What is one thing you would like patients to know about how you approach patient care?
A: I believe in taking the time to get to know my patients and understand their disease process. I also dedicate a great deal of time to explaining treatment options and answering questions so that patients can make informed decisions about their treatment.
Q: What is one thing in this field that gives you hope right now?
A: This field continues to innovate and improve the delivery of radiation therapy. Just when we think we have reached the limit of how well we can target a tumor or spare normal tissues, something comes along that improves the way we accomplish these tasks.
Q: What do you like to do outside of work?
A: Traveling has become an important and frequent activity for me. I particularly enjoy jazz cruises, which combine my love of jazz with one of my favorite modes of travel.