Dr Elizabeth Smyth has been elected as Director of Education for the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), the leading professional organisation for medical oncologists in Europe. ESMO leadership positions are elected by members and play a vital role in shaping the society’s direction. In this important role, Dr Smyth will be responsible for shaping and overseeing an inclusive, forward-looking educational strategy that supports oncologists worldwide.
Dr Smyth is a consultant medical oncologist and GI oncology lead at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, overseeing care for patients with oesophagogastric and other gastrointestinal cancers. She is also Clinical Lead at the Oxford Clinical Trials Office (OCTO) within the Department of Oncology, where she supports the development, governance, and delivery of academic oncology trials.
Dr Smyth studied medicine in Dublin before completing specialist training in medical oncology across Ireland, the US and the UK. She subsequently undertook a fellowship and MD in translational research at the Royal Marsden Hospital.
On her motivation for standing for election, Dr Smyth said:
“I stood for this role because oncology is moving faster than ever, and education has to keep pace. I wanted to contribute to a system where oncologists are actively shaping the future of care—through high-quality, practical, and globally accessible learning.”
Education is central to ESMO’s core mission of improving the quality of cancer care. Through its education programmes, information resources, professional development opportunities, and world-class scientific meetings, ESMO aims to educate its global audience on the best practices and latest advances in oncology. Dr Smyth has outlined several priorities for her time as the ESMO Director of Education:
- Relevance and clarity: Ensure educational content is well-tailored to its audience—whether early-career oncologists, subspecialists, or those involved in policy and systems.
- Global access with high standards: Expand reach while maintaining the scientific and ethical benchmarks that define ESMO’s leadership.
- Smarter digital delivery: Make digital education a core strength, not a fallback—designed intentionally, not reactively.
"My aim is to equip oncologists not just to keep up with the science, but to lead it—through education that is scientifically rigorous, practically relevant, and globally accessible."
Oncology is an ever-growing and increasingly complex field. Fragmentation, says Dr Smyth, is one of the major challenges facing modern oncology education. “Content is divided by drug, target, or tumour type. That risks losing the bigger picture—how oncologists actually make decisions. We need integrative, scenario-based learning.” Access is another priority, particularly in low-resource settings. “If we’re serious about raising standards, we have to make the best of ESMO’s educational assets globally available and practically useful.”
We congratulate Dr Smyth on this well-deserved appointment. Her distinguished career as a medical oncologist and trialist, combined with her dedication to advancing education, will be invaluable in this role. Her leadership promises to strengthen ESMO’s mission and inspire oncologists around the world.
"I’m honoured by the trust placed in me by ESMO members. Education is core to our identity as a professional community, and I see this role as a chance to give back—to ensure we support one another, challenge ourselves, and raise the standard of cancer care through knowledge."