Brittney S. Zimmerman, MD, joined Northwell Health in 2021 as an attending physician in medical oncology and hematology. She’s also an assistant professor at Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Growing up with five sisters in Dix Hills, she was always interested in women’s health. As an undergraduate in human biology at Cornell University, she had the opportunity to shadow physicians in Manhattan for a semester. The one who made the most impact was an oncologist specializing in breast cancer, who highlighted the combination of meaningful patient care and progress in cancer diagnosis and treatment. She earned her medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College, followed by residency and a fellowship at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Zimmerman brings a combination of academic training and research to her patient care approach, providing information about clinical trials and sharing advancements in evidence-based medicine. Dr. Zimmerman especially appreciates the team-based strategy at Northwell, which gives patients the expertise of health professionals ranging from surgeons and medical oncologists to nurse practitioners, social workers, genetic counselors, oncology dietitians, and others. “When a patient gets a cancer diagnosis, they need numerous specialists and appointments. Having one team with a point person to coordinate care helps make the process as seamless as possible,” she says. “That means patients don’t have to put their lives on hold just because they’re undergoing cancer treatment.” Dr. Zimmerman is also focused on education of other physicians, medical students, and patients. She has published 15 peer-reviewed articles, and has presented at national conferences about breast cancer, telehealth, and oncology innovation. She runs the Peconic Bay Medical Center tumor board conference, which brings together a team of specialists to review patient cases and put together multidisciplinary treatment plans. Her largest area of focus, though, is in easing patient concerns. “Cancer often creates fear and anxiety, and I see a large part of my role here as helping patients understand what's happening for them so they can be reassured about treatment,” she says. “I make sure they know they can have cancer and still enjoy their lives; it doesn’t have to be one or the other.”