A multiple myeloma diagnosis can bring a flood of information, uncertainty and difficult decisions. For Dr. Rebecca Silbermann, helping patients navigate those moments with confidence and clarity is as important as treating the disease itself.
As a physician-scientist specializing in multiple myeloma and an associate professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Oregon Health & Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute, Dr. Silbermann is helping advance research while building lasting relationships with patients and their families.
The opportunity to build relationships with patients over time is what originally drew her to oncology. She wanted to practice in a focused area of medicine while still getting to know patients and their families throughout their care journeys. Today, those connections, along with the commitment of her care team continue to motivate her.
She is continually inspired by the questions patients ask and by their determination to understand their choices. Their questions challenge the entire team to anticipate what people need to know and communicate information in ways that are practical, relevant and understandable.
That philosophy is especially important at the moment of diagnosis, when patients and their families can feel overwhelmed by complex information and difficult decisions. Dr. Silbermann reassures new patients that they are not expected to absorb or remember everything from their first conversation. She gives them permission to continue asking questions and adapts her approach to how much detail each person wants and is ready to receive.
Her commitment to patients also extends beyond the exam room. Participating in patient support programs helps her better understand what patients encounter in their daily lives and identify ways care teams can better respond to challenges in the broader community, and shows how deeply her support and commitment to patients runs.
Dr. Silbermann is also an investigator in clinical trials, helping to drive the acceleration of progress in multiple myeloma treatment to bring patients more promising choices.
Patients’ perseverance has profoundly shaped how Rebecca Silbermann approaches her work. She has cared for people willing to drive several hours through difficult weather to participate in clinical trials. She is equally inspired by those who balance treatment with careers, families and community responsibilities. Their experiences prompt her to ask how healthcare systems can make care less burdensome, whether by reducing time spent in waiting rooms, streamlining appointments or helping patients receive elements of their care closer to home.
Dr. Silbermann believes successful care should give people more freedom to do what matters to them. Once treatment has brought the disease under control, care should not unnecessarily consume hours of a patient’s life each month. The goal is not simply to manage disease, but to help people continue living as fully as possible.
Whether she is guiding someone through a new diagnosis, helping a patient navigate a clinical trial or looking for ways to reduce the burden of treatment, Dr. Silbermann returns to the same goal: helping people with multiple myeloma spend less time focused on their disease and more time living the lives that matter most to them.
