Complete Story
 

12/14/2012

Lawrence Flaherty, M.D.

FlahertyLarry Flaherty  is recognized both nationally and internationally as a breast cancer and melanoma specialist. As a member of the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Larry’s duties include Service Chief of the Breast Cancer Program, Medical Director of the Clinical Trials Office and member of the Clinical Leadership Council. He is also the team leader for the Melanoma Multidisciplinary Program. He is a champion for access to the best medical options and quality of life for those in his care. It has been reported that his patients who have been with him for years think he walks on water!

A New York native, Larry Flaherty’s Fighting Irish spirit was honed as an undergraduate at the University of Notre Dame, prepared him for fighting for his patients during the course of his entire clinical career. While a student at St. Louis University School of Medicine, he received the prestigious Distinguished Service Award. He did his internship and residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals where he served as Chief Medical Resident. He completed his fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. In 1986, Dr. Flaherty accepted an appointment as a clinician-educator in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology at WSU Medical School.

Larry’s dedication to clinical education is a hallmark of his career. He is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the Wayne State University School of Medicine, where he has received many Outstanding Teaching Awards. During his tenure as a MSHO Board of Directors' member, Dr. Flaherty has generously contributed his clinical education skills to numerous Society initiatives.  In addition to being course director for many ASCO Updates and Breast Symposiums, Larry has been instrumental in delivering MSHO’s Annual State of the Art Series, an expansion of our Fellows’ Board Review initiative. He has recruited and now mentors new clinicians to take leadership roles so that the significant MSHO educational programs can continue.

As an MSHO Board member since 2000, Larry has been an articulate voice for our state’s academic centers’ oncologists. Additionally, Dr. Flaherty is an active member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) and the American College of Physicians (ACP).  He serves on numerous national and international boards and committees.

Dr. Flaherty enjoys his family to the fullest. His two children, Katie and Ryan, are grown, educated and out of the nest. Struggling to adapt to some new found free time, he has filled the void with more rounds of golf and travelling. This past fall, Larry and his wife, Christine, took a tour of Italy with friends and discovered that it is possible to occasionally take some time to relax.  

MSHO appreciates Larry Flaherty’s many contributions to the Society and looks forward to many more years of his participation in advancing cancer care to Michigan’s patients.