I am humbled and excited to officially share that I will be joining AdventHealth Cancer Institute downtown Orlando beginning December 1, 2025.
This decision has been a long journey, shaped by both professional reflection and personal growth. A year ago, I left my primary institution after many meaningful years of work. My wife, who is a complex care pediatrician, also stepped away from her role at Nemours. At the time, it was one of the most difficult decisions our family had ever made — but it turned out to be one of the most rewarding.
This past year has been a year of renewal. We’ve spent time traveling, investing in new ventures, and most importantly, being present with our children. One of our daughters is now heading off to the University of Florida, our other daughter will finish her final senior year, while our younger boys are thriving in elementary school. This intentional time together has strengthened our marriage, deepened our family bonds, and reminded us of the importance of balance.
Professionally, I had the privilege of exploring opportunities across the state. I had interviews at the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, University of Florida, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa General, Florida Cancer Specialist and several others — including AdventHealth. Along the way, I was deeply humbled by the encouragement of mentors and colleagues. I want to give special thanks to Dr. Thom George (University of Florida) and Dr. Khushalani (Moffitt), who reached out at a pivotal time, offered support, and reminded me that even in moments of transition, community and mentorship matter greatly. Also. Dr. Rafael Manon at OH, who graciously supported my transitional period.
Ultimately, I chose AdventHealth Cancer Institute for several reasons:
- Scale and Vision: AdventHealth is one of the fastest-growing cancer programs in the country, with multiple disease-focused clinics, a robust research infrastructure, and a truly multidisciplinary model of care.
- Leadership Opportunity: I am honored to step into a leadership role as Director of Cutaneous/Connective Tissue Oncology and Solid Tumor Cellular Therapy, helping to expand programs in TIL and TCR therapies in solid tumors— areas of great promise and FDA approved for melanoma, sarcoma, and hopefully clinical trials in other solid tumors.
- Collaboration and Community: Many of the physicians at AdventHealth are colleagues I’ve known and respected for years. Joining them doesn’t feel like starting over — it feels like coming home.
- Patient-Centered Model: I believe strongly in their hub-and-spoke approach, which allows patients to receive excellent general oncology care close to home, while still having access to disease-specific specialists and cutting-edge therapies downtown.
- Roots in Central Florida: On a personal level, my family and I are deeply committed to Central Florida. We’ve built our lives here and look forward to continuing to serve and invest in this community.
For the past year, I have respected my non-compete obligations by stepping away from my prior institutional work, focusing on locums in Montana/West Virginia, blogging, consulting, embracing AI and having my wife and I explore non-clinical business ventures in real estate and franchising. That pause gave me perspective and growth. Now, I am eager to return to a collaborative environment — to engage again with clinical research, industry partnerships, and most importantly, the care of patients facing cutaneous/connective tissue malignancies. Yes.. I miss the universe of a hospital system.
I share this story not only as an announcement, but also as encouragement to colleagues who may find themselves at a crossroads. Sometimes stepping back is not a setback — it’s a reset. This year away gave me clarity, and now I step into this next chapter with renewed passion.
I am deeply grateful for the support I have received, and I look forward to the work ahead at the AdventHealth Cancer Institute.
December 1, 2025 is just around the corner, and I cannot wait to begin.
About the author
Dr. Sajeve Thomas is a distinguished medical professional and a compassionate guide in the field of oncology. With over a decade of dedicated experience as a board-certified medical oncologist/internal medicine specialist, Dr. Thomas has become a trusted expert in the treatment of melanoma, sarcoma, and gastrointestinal conditions. He brings a wealth of expertise to the complex and challenging world of oncology.
Disclosures:
Dr. Thomas serves as a speaker for Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), Merck, Ipsen, Natera, Immunocore, Pfizer, and SpringWorks. He also receives industry grants in support of numerous clinical trials.