George Blackall

Dr. George Blackall is the Vice Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs at the Penn State College of Medicine, holding joint professorships in the Department of Pediatrics (Division of Hematology and Oncology) and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health. He also has an appointment in the Department of Humanities. His academic roles include leadership in faculty affairs and advancing academic standards.

• Education: PsyD (Doctor of Psychology), MS, MBA

His research focuses on medical education, palliative care pedagogy, clinical ethics, and the psychosocial needs of adolescent and young adult cancer survivors. He has contributed to qualitative studies on survivorship, healthcare communication, and medical student well-being.

Dr. Blackall led a National Cancer Institute-funded project (1994–1999) to integrate palliative care into medical student curricula. His work has been recognized with the Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching (2019).

• Key Research Themes: Medical student development, healthcare communication, oncology survivorship, clinical ethics committees

His articles span patient-centered care innovations, pain management case studies, and systemic approaches to addressing mistreatment in medical training. Collaborations emphasize interdisciplinary approaches to healthcare education and patient outcomes.