Dr. Benjamin Greer, UW Professor Emeritus of Obstetrics and Gynecology, died on March 24 at the age of 77.
Dr. Greer began his distinguished career at UW Medicine in 1980 and served as the Division Director of Gynecologic Oncology from 1990 to 2005. He also served as the Medical Director of the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Network from 2004 until his retirement in 2016. In his SCCA role, he was instrumental in setting up network sites in Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho and Hawaii, which provide community-based physicians with access to the latest cancer diagnostic and treatment information.
Dr. Greer was known nationally for his clinical and research contributions to the field of gynecologic oncology. He authored more than 125 peer-reviewed articles, 29 book chapters and two books. He was a member of numerous professional organizations and held leadership positions in the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), Gynecologic Oncology Group, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
He was the co-winner of the 2017 NCCN Board of Producers Award for his work to establish national standards of care for women with cervical, uterine and vulvar cancers. He was also described as a “gentleman surgeon who has made a career of tremendous contributions and advancements without seeking the spotlight.”
Dr. Barbara Goff, UW Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, has equally fond memories of her colleague. “Dr. Greer was known to be an excellent surgeon and devoted teacher,” she said. “He always had time to sit down and draw a picture to illustrate his point to a trainee. His loyalty to his patients was well known through the region. He will be greatly missed.”
