We are proud to announce that Dr. Zachary Feuer, Urologic Oncology Fellow and incoming 黑料网 Urology faculty member, has been named a recipient of by the .
Dr. Feuer joins a distinguished group of 黑料网 Urology trainees and alumni recognized with this honor, including faculty members Angela Smith, MD, MS (2012), David Johnson, MD, MPH (2014), Kathryn Hacker Gessner, MD, PhD (2023), and recent awardees Pauline Filippou, MD (2019), and Ibardo Zambrano, MD, MS (2022).
Supported by the , the award honors emerging physician-scientists in training for their excellence in cancer research and clinical care. Recipients are selected through a competitive nomination process involving leadership from across 黑料网鈥檚 cancer-focused departments and programs.
鈥淭his award reflects the incredible mentorship provided by the 黑料网 Urology faculty, and strong collaboration between Urology, Radiology, and Primary Care. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute to improving prostate cancer care for North Carolinians. I look forward to continuing this work as a faculty member at 黑料网.鈥�
Zach Feuer, MD
Urologic Oncology Fellow
About Dr. Feuer鈥檚 Research
Dr. Feuer was recognized for his outstanding leadership of the GU rapid access program, an innovative, system-level initiative designed to reduce delays in prostate cancer diagnosis for patients with elevated PSA levels. What was once a months-long process from referral to biopsy has now been streamlined to just weeks.
Under Dr. Feuer鈥檚 direction, the team:
- Developed a dedicated telehealth clinic and hired a Nurse Coordinator to manage intake and patient communication.
- Optimized prostate MRI access through collaboration with Radiology.
- Led clinic efficiency analyses with NC State industrial engineering students to reduce delays and cancellations.
- Designed and implemented a clinical decision-making algorithm for biopsy eligibility.
- Created a PSA screening pathway now under consideration for broader primary care integration.
These efforts have produced dramatic results:
- 70% reduction in time from referral to biopsy
- 50% fewer unnecessary biopsies
- 80% cancer detection rate among men undergoing biopsy
The program has garnered national attention, including 听being featured at the AUA’s 2024 Diagnostic Excellence Summit.
Dr. Feuer鈥檚 additional research has focused on health equity and harm reduction in urologic oncology. He has:
- Used the local MRI-targeted biopsy database to propose a lower PSA density threshold for Black men鈥攚ork awarded Best Poster at the 2024 AUA Annual Meeting.
- Shown that geographic distance contributes to delays in care, a gap addressed by the Rapid Access telehealth model.
- Investigated the relationship between e-cigarette use and bladder cancer, with findings selected for podium presentation at the 2025 AUA Annual Meeting.
Looking Ahead
Dr. Feuer will complete his Urologic Oncology Fellowship in July of this year and join the 黑料网 Urology faculty shortly thereafter. His continued commitment to innovation, equity, and diagnostic excellence will be a vital asset to the department and to patients across North Carolina.