Dr. Arif Kamal serves as the first-ever chief patient officer for the American Cancer Society. In this role, Dr. Kamal drives coordinated efforts to accelerate progress against cancer through the organization’s patient, caregiver, and healthcare professional mission initiatives.   

Dr. Kamal oversees the organization’s cancer support network, patient navigation services, educational programs, patient and caregiver lodging and transportation, 24/7 contact center, digital patient support resources, and organizational efforts that impact the full cancer continuum across 20,000 global communities.  

Prior to joining the American Cancer Society, Dr. Kamal served for more than 12 years as an oncologist, researcher, and innovative leader at Duke University and the Duke Cancer Institute. He is an associate professor of medicine and population health at the Duke University School of Medicine, and he recently served as the physician quality and outcomes officer at the Duke Cancer Institute. He is nationally recognized for his expertise in oncology quality assessment and palliative care.  

Dr. Kamal co-founded Prepped Health, a company that develops innovative technology solutions to educate and engage people facing serious illness and their caregivers. He also holds leadership positions with prestigious national professional organizations, has received numerous awards, and is a prolific writer, having authored more than 225 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts and 15 book chapters. A respected voice in the health care and oncology spaces, Dr. Kamal is passionate about facilitating conversations, increasing awareness, and advocating for advancements in all areas of patient care. He has been a guest on Good Morning America and featured in major news outlets including CNN, NPR, The Washington Post, and USA Today.  

Dr. Kamal received his medical degree from the six-year combined B.A./M.D. program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He completed his internal medicine residency and a hospice and palliative medicine fellowship at the Mayo Clinic, and a hematology-oncology fellowship at Duke University. He holds a Master of Health Science in clinical research from Duke University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.  

Dr. Kamal lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with his wife and two children.