Ramirez’s path to becoming a cancer registrar was as informed by her education in pre-medical studies at the University of the East in the Philippines as well as the experiences of family members in the healthcare field. A journey familiar to many cancer registrars, it started while exploring options for a career that would enable more flexibility and opportunity. Given those goals, her sister-in-law, a nurse suggested she apply for a cancer registry position based on her pre-medical background. Ramirez completed her certification as a Cancer Research Associate at Georgetown University and her 35-year career in the field followed.
Ramirez retired after 14 years with The Ohio State University Medical Center, James Cancer Hospital as the Director of the Cancer Registry Department in November 2022. An avid volunteer and leader, she has served on NCRA’s Nominating Committee and Awards Committee; as well as two terms as the Advocacy and Technical Practice Directors (ATPD) Midwest, the 2021 Program Committee Chair, and was an Associate Editor for NCRA’s Cancer Registry Management Principles and Practice for Hospitals and Central Registries, 4th Edition.
Ramirez’s goals for her term are to collaborate with NCRA’s staff and liaisons to continue building strong relationships and advance communication with standard setting organizations in the cancer surveillance field. This approach includes outreach to organizations and entities with similarly aligned interests not currently engaged with NCRA. Focusing on recruiting the next generation of cancer registrars will also be a priority: “Baby boomers are retiring from the workforce, and we need new registrars to enter the profession.” says Ramirez. Where does she see the field in ten years? Remote work is key: “In the future, even more cancer registrars will work either partially or fully off-site.”
In her leisure time, Ramirez has a passion for travel and retirement has given her the opportunity to devote more time for international travel, especially Japan and the Philippines. Shorter trips are in order as well: she enjoys spending time with her granddaughter.
About the National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA)
NCRA is a non-profit organization that represents over 6,500 cancer registry professionals and Certified Tumor Registrars. The mission of NCRA is to empower and advance registry professionals through innovations in education, advocacy, credentialing, and strategic partnerships. Cancer registrars are data information specialists that capture a complete history, diagnosis, treatment, and health status for every cancer patient in the U.S. The data provide essential information to researchers, healthcare providers, and public health officials to better monitor and advance cancer treatments, conduct research, and improve cancer prevention and screening programs. For more information about NCRA, visit www.ncra-usa.org and www.CancerRegistryEducation.org.
Lauren Martella
National Cancer Registry Association
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