Timothy N Showalter, MD
Radiation Oncology
Additional Locations
Bio & Overview
Timothy Showalter, MD, is a radiation oncologist who specializes in brachytherapy and external beam radiation therapy for prostate and other genitourinary cancers, gynecological cancers, sarcoma and pediatric cancers. He is an associate professor at UVA and serves as program director for the residency program in radiation oncology.
Dr. Showalter completed his residency in radiation oncology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, where he stayed for his first faculty position before coming to work at UVA in 2012. A dedicated researcher, Dr. Showalter focuses on patient-oriented research, including clinical trials and comparative effectiveness research aimed at improving radiation therapy methods and providing information to help cancer treatment decision-making. In 2015, he earned a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University to supplement his research training. He is co-chair of the Patient Safety Committee of the American Brachytherapy Society, and active nationally on several prostate cancer and gynecological cancer committees, including the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Committee of NRG Oncology, a non-profit cancer research organization.
Dr. Showalter grew up in Richmond and attended Washington and Lee University for his undergraduate education. He completed medical school at UVA, where he met and subsequently married his wife, Shayna Lefrak Showalter, who is on faculty in the Department of Surgery. The couple have three children, Lillian, Tessa and Brooks. Outside of work, Dr. Showalter is an avid squash player and enjoys traveling.
Academic Information
- Department
- Radiation Oncology
- Academic Role
- Professor
- Division
- Radiation Oncology
Conditions & Treatments
- Brachytherapy
- Cancer
- High dose gynecologic brachytherapy
- High dose rate brachytherapy
- Prostate brachytherapy
- Prostate cancer
- Spaceoar hydrogel
- Gender
- Male
- Languages
- English
- Age Groups Seen
- Adults (21-65)
Older Adults (65+)
- Residency
- Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals
- Certification
- American Board of Radiology (Radiation Oncology)
Highlights
Dr. Timothy Showalter profile video
I'm Tim Showalter. I'm a physician in the department of radiation oncology here at UVA and as a radiation oncologist, I focus primarily on genitourinary cancers like prostate cancer, gynecologic cancers like cervical cancer for example, as well as pediatric cancers and sarcoma. One of my primary areas of focus is in breaking therapy procedures, so I ... that's the branch of radiation oncology that involves implanting radiation ... or radioactive sources. As a radiation oncologist, it's really the only class of procedures that we do. It's something that I've been interested for a long time and I've made a focus of my practice since 2009. I have the chance to be involved really at the regional and national level in leading programs and offering the latest care for genitourinary cancers and GYN cancers. We have facilities here that are really unparalleled. For a lot of people, the trip to the radiation oncology department feels more like science fiction than anything else they've ever done in a hospital, so just to sit down and make sure that you understand what to expect the first day you come in for treatment, I think is very important. To have a clear discussion about what the expected potential side effects are and what the potential goals of therapy are, I think is really important. One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is having a lot of time right up front when I first meet a patient. They've generally already recently been diagnosed with cancer and I get to counsel them on their treatment options. We also take care of a fair amount of patients who have been diagnosed with cancer for a while, and who have very advanced cancer and who have painful symptoms from that cancer, and radiation therapy's a very effective tool for helping with those symptoms. That's a rewarding part of the process, to really help someone feel better during their cancer treatment.
Awards
- 2019 Best Bedside Manner Awards, OurHealth Charlottesville and Shenandoah Valley Magazine; Third Place, Radiation Oncology
Reviews
118 Patient Satisfaction Ratings
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