Michael Whalen, MD

Education

Columbia College of Physicians & Surgeons

Certifications

Urology

Residencies

Columbia Presbyterian (New York NY) - Urology

Fellowships

Mount Sinai Hospital (New York NY) - Minimally Invasive Oncology & Robotic Surgery

Yale-New Haven Hospital (New Haven CT) - Urologic Oncology

Clinical / Research Interests

Urologic Oncology

Prostate cancer including prostate MRI and MRI-ultrasound fusion biopsy

Bladder Cancer

Kidney Cancer

Testis Cancer

Robotic Surgery with the DaVinci Si and Xi platforms

Biography

Michael J. Whalen, MD is an Associate Professor of Urology and Director of Urologic Oncology at the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences. He graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Neurobiology from Harvard College and received his medical degree from Columbia College of Physicians & Surgeons in New York City. He completed his residency in Urology at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Whalen has received fellowship training in Robotic and Minimally Invasive Urologic Oncology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and completed a second fellowship in Urologic Oncology at Yale-New Haven Hospital. He is board-certified by the American Board of Urology and has been inducted as a member of the Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

Dr. Whalen's specialty focus involves treatment of urological cancers, with expertise in both major open and minimally invasive surgery. His clinical interests include prostate cancer (including prostate MRI, MRI-ultrasound fusion biopsy and cryotherapy), bladder cancer (including blue-light cystoscopy and continent/incontinent urinary diversion), kidney cancer, testis cancer, adrenal cancer, ureteral cancer, robotic surgery with the DaVinci system (including prostatectomy, cystectomy, partial nephrectomy, and adrenalectomy) and laparoscopic surgery. He was the first surgeon to perform supine-position robotic retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy for advanced testicular cancer at GW. He works closely with a dedicated team of Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners to provide superlative and compassionate medical care.

Dr. Whalen is actively involved in clinical outcomes research focusing on cancer of the prostate, bladder, and kidneys. He has published numerous original research articles in peer-reviewed journals, including Urologic Oncology, Urology Practice, Prostate, Journal of Laparoendoscopic & Advanced Surgical Techniques, and BJU International. His research interests include robotic surgery techniques, optimization of pathologic reporting of urological cancers, and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mp-MRI) and its role in prostate cancer management—active surveillance, post-treatment biochemical recurrence, focal ablation, and comparison to/integration with commercially-available serum-based and tissue-based genomic assays. He also serves as the Principle Investigator for many cooperative group, investigator-initiated, and industry-sponsored clinical trials. He aims to bring cutting edge clinical trials to traditionally under-represented patient populations.

Dr. Whalen has presented at numerous conferences in the US and internationally, including the American Urological Association (AUA) National Conference, the AUA New York Section Ferdinand C. Valentine Medal & Resident Essay Meeting, the 2016 World Cancer Congress in Shanghai, China, and the 2014 AUA National Chief's Debate, which he won as a representative of the New York Section. He is a member of the American Urological Association and serves on the Editorial Board of the ARC Journal of Urology (AJU), as a reviewer for Current Urology, and as a reviewer/statistical consultant for the Journal of Urology.

Dr. Whalen is also passionately involved in medical student education at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, serving as faculty mentor for the Clinical Apprenticeship Program, Urology resident Research mentor, Urology Interest Group faculty mentor, and research PI as part of the Gill Summer Research Fellowship program (2018-present) and the Jean L. Fourcroy Research Award program (2019-present). He was voted Teacher of the Year by the Urology residents in June 2019 and recently was awarded the Commission on Cancer, Cancer Liaison Program Outstanding Performance Award (9/2021) for his role as the Cancer Liaison Physician for GW Hospital. His students’ projects have also received several awards: Beaumont Research Award in spring 2020; Population Science and Health Equity Cancer Research Prize at the GW Research Showcase, 4/2022; and 2nd place overall in the Commission on Cancer (CoC) Cancer Research Paper Competition, 6/2022.