Jatin P. Shah, M.D., Ph.D. (Hon), FACS, FRCS (Hon), FDSRCS (Hon), FRACS (Hon), is a renowned head and neck surgeon and oncologist based at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. He graduated from the Medical College of MS University in Baroda, India, and completed specialized training in surgical oncology and head and neck surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering.

He holds several prestigious positions, including Professor of Surgery at Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Chief of the Head and Neck Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering, Leader of the Head and Neck Disease Management Team, and the Elliott W. Strong Chair in Head and Neck Oncology. Shah has served in leadership roles across numerous organizations, such as President of the New York Cancer Society, New York Head and Neck Society, Society of Head and Neck Surgeons, North American Skull Base Society, and International Academy of Oral Oncology. He founded the International Federation of Head and Neck Oncologic Societies in 1986 and has chaired key conferences and committees, including the AJCC task force on Head and Neck.

His accolades include honorary fellowships from royal colleges in Edinburgh, London, and Australia; honorary Ph.D.s from universities in Belgium and Greece; the Blokhin Gold Medal (Russia’s highest oncology honor); and recognition as an honorary member of head and neck societies worldwide. He’s consistently listed in “Best Doctors in America” directories. His textbook Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology has won major awards, including first prize from the British Medical Association and the George Davey Howells Prize.

Shah’s contributions encompass over 300 peer-reviewed articles, 50 book chapters, and 7 books. He’s delivered more than 1,000 scientific presentations, including 59 eponymous lectures and visiting professorships across dozens of countries. He serves on editorial boards for 18 journals.

In association with the American Head & Neck Society, where he delivered the presidential address “Making of a Head and Neck Surgeon,” the society honors his legacy with the annual “Jatin Shah Symposium” for his global leadership in the field. 0