Despite growing up in a region of five million people in China, Chi Lin, MD, PhD, feels more at home in smaller communities with open spaces. 

Dr. Lin earned her medical degree at Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, and completed her PhD at Thomas Jefferson University and residency at Drexel University College of Medicine, both in Philadelphia. A chance encounter during her ABR Initial Certification process opened the door for her to escape big city life after she completed her training.

Weining (Ken) Zhen, MD, who was one of her radiation oncology oral examiners, gave Dr. Lin a tip about a job possibility at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha after she earned board certification. It turned out to be a perfect fit. 

“They had a faculty opening,” she said. “Dr. Zhen worked here and remembered me. He asked if I wanted to join the team and I decided to take a look and loved it here.” 

While the Omaha region has a million residents, that’s small compared with Philadelphia, where more than six million people live.

“Everybody squeezes into little spaces,” Dr. Lin said. 

She started her job in 2006 with the thought of remaining open to anything. Staying in Omaha or packing up and leaving were equal possibilities. 

“(Omaha) immediately attracted me, but I didn’t think I was going to be here this long,” Dr. Lin said. “I thought I would just stay a while and if I didn’t like it, I would go somewhere else. I can’t believe I’ve been here 20 years.” 

Now a professor and vice chair of research at UNMC, Dr. Lin also volunteers with the ABR. The opportunity arose when Patricia Hardenbergh, MD, who’s also a volunteer, approached her at a conference. 

Dr. Lin started as a question writer for the Radiation Oncology Oral Certifying Exam. After encouragement from Dr. Zhen, she expanded her duties to include being an oral examiner. 

“He showed me that an examiner’s responsibility extends beyond just caring for our patients,” Dr. Lin said. “Being an examiner helps prepare the next generation of physicians. Serving as an examiner felt like a meaningful way to give back.” 

Every resident has a different experience when they’re pursuing Initial Certification. Dr. Lin believes that oral examiners need to recognize those differences while remaining “prepared, consistent, attentive, and fair.” 

“It’s important to listen carefully and assess the candidate’s clinical reasoning without letting personal practice preferences influence your assessment,” she said. “I try to evaluate them with a standard of care. That’s very important.” 

Dr. Lin believes that being an oral examiner helps her work with residents at her institution. 

“I think I’m a better teacher because I always encourage my residents to be more vocal,” she said. “When you know what you want to do with a patient, try to say it. Don’t just write notes or something. You have to practice explaining your reasoning aloud and be ready to tell how you applied it to a patient.” 

As a middle school student in China, Dr. Lin was interested in math. She eventually merged that interest with a desire to help people and now balances her time between research and clinical duties. 

“I wanted to integrate math into a physician’s life,” she said. “But my main goal was taking care of patients.” 

Her research, which she conducts at night and on weekends, focuses on clinical trials testing the effects of combining radiation with novel radiosensitizers or radioprotectors to treat cancer. 

“I do research because I love it,” Dr. Lin said. “You have to be motivated to do research when you have a full clinical load.” 

Dr. Zhen is thankful that he connected with Dr. Lin early in her career. A professor and vice chair of departmental affairs in the department of radiation oncology at UNMC, he admires his colleague’s ability to make everyone around her better. 

“Dr. Lin brings remarkable passion, energy, and dedication to everything she does, whether caring for patients, advancing research, or mentoring trainees and colleagues,” he said. “Her leadership, enthusiasm, and commitment to excellence have elevated our department and positively influenced countless students, residents, faculty, and patients. She is truly an exceptional colleague whose impact extends far beyond her accomplishments.” 

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