Doctor to give grads’ speech

Dr. Lisa Carey has written or co-written more than 70 manuscripts or book chapters and been recognized as a rising star in the field of medical research.

She’s working to eliminate cancer, one of the most deadly diseases in the world.

But despite this list of accolades, she is still unsure of how to send graduating students out into the real world this winter.

“I’m not quite sure what one says at a Commencement address,” she said. “It’s an incredible honor but also nerve-wracking.”

Carey, associate professor of medicine and UNC Breast Center medical director, will deliver the December Commencement address after being asked by Chancellor Holden Thorp.

The address is traditionally given by a UNC faculty member. Carey was chosen by a committee of five faculty members and five students.

“I think that this year, with the North Carolina Cancer Hospital coming online, it’s the perfect opportunity for Lisa, who is a pioneer in the breast cancer field and a great model, to share her message with our students,” Thorp wrote in a press release.

Carey’s focus is breast cancer, specifically the reasons why younger, premenopausal, black women are more likely to develop breast cancer in a more aggressive form. She was a fellow in oncology for seven years at Johns Hopkins before coming to UNC.

She also serves as a mentor for the Carolina Covenant program, providing guidance for 10 students who are looking toward a future in the medical field. The Covenant helps low-income students graduate from UNC debt-free.

Carey graduated from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 1990 and followed this up with a master’s of science in clinical research at the Johns Hopkins’ School of Public Health in 1998.

That same year, she joined UNC’s staff. She also earned the honorable Doris Duke Clinical Scientist Award in 1999, which recognizes young faculty members for promising research.

Carey said she enjoys working at UNC and was originally drawn to the institution because of its strong reputation in the medical field.

“It’s a very famous place for cancer and has been for a long time,” she said.

Carey said her friends and colleagues have already began calling her with advice for giving a successful speech.

One person told her Chancellor Thorp played the piano at his 2006 commencement speech, which she said set the bar fairly high.

“It’s intimidating because I don’t play an instrument,” she said.

The commencement ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Dean Smith Center.


Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.