Cardinale Smith, MD, PhD
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Areas of Expertise
Conditions I Treat
- Small cell lung cancer (SCLC)
- Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
- Thymoma
My Specialties
- Palliative care
Get to Know Me
I am a thoracic medical oncologist who has special training in treating all types of lung cancer. This includes non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, and thymoma. I am also an expert in palliative medicine. Palliative care for cancer helps manage symptoms and the side effects of cancer and its treatment to improve a person’s quality of life.
At Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), I serve as Chief Medical Officer (CMO). In this role, I manage clinical quality, patient safety, regulatory compliance, and clinical operations across MSK. As CMO, my goal is to foster the best treatment results for patients, and support and empower our teams. I also aim to continue advancing excellence and safety across the organization in everything we do.
I make sure our medical staff follows high standards of care, safety, and compliance so that every person gets the best quality of care possible. I also make sure that our team of doctors, nurses, advanced practice providers (APPs), and non-clinical staff, is fully supported and can do their best work every single day.
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Born to an immigrant family, I grew up hearing how my mother’s dream to become a physician was sidelined by the barriers faced by women of color. Although she redirected her passion into a career as a school social worker, she made it her life’s mission to remove any obstacle in my path to becoming a doctor. Her sacrifices and support have given me a sense of deep dedication to social justice and health equity. These are principles that have helped shape my worldview.
When I meet with a patient, I approach their care as a partnership. I listen to their concerns, goals, and values. With their feedback, I create a treatment plan that is not only based on data but is also focused on their unique needs. My goal is that people understand the risks and benefits of each option and feel comfortable making decisions based on their values and preferences.
My research focuses on improving the quality of care for people with cancer, developing new models for delivering equitable cancer care, and improving communication between patients and physicians. I am currently involved in a research study funded by the National Institutes of Health. This study looks at how a cancer doctor’s attitudes or beliefs can affect communication and clinical results.
I am also conducting research funded by the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Health Research Centers. The goal of this research is to assess community-based navigation and the factors that can be a barrier to accessing cancer care.
When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my family and reading fantasy fiction.
I'm a thoracic medical oncologist, which is a cancer doctor who specializes in thoracic (thor-A-sik) cancers. These are cancers that have to do with the chest, including lung, tracheal (windpipe), and thymic (thymus) cancers.
- Chief Medical Officer
Conditions I Treat
- Small cell lung cancer (SCLC)
- Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
- Thymoma
My Specialties
- Palliative care
Education
- MD, Drexel University College of Medicine
- Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Research, Mount Sinai School of Medicine Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
- PhD, Clinical Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS) Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Residencies
- Internal Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Fellowships
- Hematology/Medical Oncology and Palliative Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Board Certifications
- Hospice and Palliative Medicine
- Medical Oncology
Awards and Honors
- The Mount Sinai Graduate School Alumni Award, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (2023)
- Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELH) Participant, Drexel University College of Medicine (2022)
- Next Gen Innovator Award, HemOnc Today (2019)
- Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program, Cambia Health Foundation (2018)
- Leadership Development Program, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (2017)
Insurance Information
Understanding your insurance options is an important part of managing your cancer care. We have relationships with many common healthcare providers and plans.
In Network Coverage Type
PPO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Emblem to learn more.
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Fidelis to learn more.
In Network Coverage Type
EPO, HMO, PPO, POS
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Healthfirst to learn more.
In Network Coverage Type
HMO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO
In Network Coverage Type
EPO
In Network Coverage Type
EPO
In Network Coverage Type
Federal Government
In Network Coverage Type
HMO
City Employee Health Plans (Gold and Gold Care)
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
State Government
Don't see your carrier or plan? We can help you understand your coverage.
If you don't have health insurance or are worried that your care may not be fully covered, our financial assistance programs may be able to help.
If you have questions about insurance, call us at 646-497-9176.
Colleagues
Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering work as teams, with specialists from all different areas. This allows us to consider all your needs together, and to give you the best possible care.
Clinical Trials
Memorial Sloan Kettering's doctors and scientists are constantly developing new treatments for cancer. MSK is typically running hundreds of clinical trials at a given time.
You may be able to participate in a clinical trial even if you are new to MSK. Search our online directory to find trial information and see more about who can participate.
Search clinical trialsResearch and Publications
Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Smith’s journal articles. Pubmed is an online index of research papers and other articles from the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.
See all on PubMedPatient Reviews
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