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Rachel A. Rodenbach, M.D.

Rachel A. Rodenbach, M.D.

Medicine , Cancer

UR Medicine Faculty The University of Rochester Medical Faculty Group (URMFG) consists of over 900 specialist and primary care providers spanning 19 departments. URMFG is certified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
Accountable Health Partner Accountable Health Partners (AHP) is a network of over 2,000 community and UR medical faculty and a dozen leading hospitals throughout the region. AHP offers a full range of care.
Accepting New Patients

Contact

Call Center (585) 276-3000

About Me

I am a physician and researcher dedicated to the care of patients with serious illnesses, particularly blood cancers. My training in hospice and palliative medicine and in hematology and medical oncology makes me appreciate both the complexity of cancer therapies and the importance of the patient’s ...
I am a physician and researcher dedicated to the care of patients with serious illnesses, particularly blood cancers. My training in hospice and palliative medicine and in hematology and medical oncology makes me appreciate both the complexity of cancer therapies and the importance of the patient’s voice in their care.

Cancer transforms people’s lives and their view of themselves and the world. My role as their physician involves helping them to make decisions that fit who they are as individuals and what matters most to them. Being a physician also means being present with them along their cancer journey – sometimes to cheer, sometimes to caution, and always to be someone they can trust. I believe that communication is central to the physician-patient relationship.

While I maintain strong childhood ties to the Midwest, Rochester became another home during medical school at the University of Rochester. I feel grateful to be part of the Rochester community.

Professional Background

Dr. Rodenbach completed her bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and English at Amherst College. She received her medical degree with distinction in research at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and completed residency in internal medicine and fellowship in hospice and pallia...
Dr. Rodenbach completed her bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and English at Amherst College. She received her medical degree with distinction in research at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and completed residency in internal medicine and fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. She subsequently completed fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While at UW-Madison she also obtained a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation (MSCI). Her research interests focus on communication and supportive care measures for patients with blood cancers.

Faculty Appointments

Assistant Professor - Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology (SMD)

Credentials

Residency & Fellowship

Fellowship, Fellow, University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics. 2020 - 2023

Fellowship, Hospice and Palliative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. 2019 - 2020

Residency, Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. 2016 - 2019

Education

MSCLI | University of Wisconsin-Madison. 2023

MD | University of Rochester School of Medicine/Dentistry. 2016

Publications

Journal Articles

Balancing risks and rewards: How hematologists discuss uncertainty in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation outcomes.

Rodenbach RA, Thordardottir T, Brauer M, Hall AC, Ward E, Smith CB, Campbell TC

Patient education and counseling.. 2024 June 123 :108177. Epub 02/01/2024.

Communication Strategies of Transplant Hematologists in High-Risk Decision-Making Conversations.

Rodenbach RA, Thordardottir T, Brauer M, Hall AC, Ward E, Smith CB, Campbell TC

JCO oncology practice.. 2024 April 20 (4):538-548. Epub 01/19/2024.

Integrated dual training in palliative care and oncology.

DeCarli K, Rodenbach R, Sedhom R, Von Roenn J, Ketterer B

Current problems in cancer.. 2023 October 47 (5):101012. Epub 09/06/2023.

Relationships Between Advanced Cancer Patients' Worry About Dying and Illness Understanding, Treatment Preferences, and Advance Care Planning.

Rodenbach RA, Althouse AD, Schenker Y, Smith TJ, Chu E, White DB, Bakitas M, Arnold RM

Journal of pain and symptom management.. 2021 April 61 (4):723-731.e1. Epub 09/12/2020.

Coaching Palliative Care Conversations: Evaluating the Impact on Resident Preparedness and Goals-of-Care Conversations.

Rodenbach R, Kavalieratos D, Tamber A, Tapper C, Resick J, Arnold R, Childers J

Journal of palliative medicine.. 2020 February 23 (2):220-225. Epub 08/28/2019.

Standardization of Inpatient CPR Status Discussions and Documentation Within the Division of Hematology-Oncology at UPMC Shadyside: Results From PDSA Cycles 1 and 2.

Garcia CA, Bhatnagar M, Rodenbach R, Chu E, Marks S, Graham-Pardus A, Kriner J, Winfield M, Minnier C, Leahy J, Hanchett S, Baird E, Arnold RM, Levenson JE

Journal of oncology practice. 2019 August 15 (8):e746-e754. Epub 06/17/2019.

When chemotherapy fails: Emotionally charged experiences faced by family caregivers of patients with advanced cancer.

Rodenbach RA, Norton SA, Wittink MN, Mohile S, Prigerson HG, Duberstein PR, Epstein RM

Patient education and counseling.. 2018 December 12 Epub 12/12/2018.

Promoting End-of-Life Discussions in Advanced Cancer: Effects of Patient Coaching and Question Prompt Lists.

Rodenbach RA, Brandes K, Fiscella K, Kravitz RL, Butow PN, Walczak A, Duberstein PR, Sullivan P, Hoh B, Xing G, Plumb S, Epstein RM

Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.. 2017 March 1035 (8):842-851. Epub 01/30/2017.

Eloquent silences: A musical and lexical analysis of conversation between oncologists and their patients.

Bartels J, Rodenbach R, Ciesinski K, Gramling R, Fiscella K, Epstein R

Patient education and counseling.. 2016 October 99 (10):1584-94. Epub 04/20/2016.

Relationships between personal attitudes about death and communication with terminally ill patients: How oncology clinicians grapple with mortality.

Rodenbach RA, Rodenbach KE, Tejani MA, Epstein RM

Patient education and counseling.. 2016 March 99 (3):356-363. Epub 10/23/2015.

In search of compassion: a new taxonomy of compassionate physician behaviours.

Cameron RA, Mazer BL, Deluca JM, Mohile SG, Epstein RM

Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy.. 2015 October 18 (5):1672-85. Epub 12/04/2013.

Intranasal deferoxamine engages multiple pathways to decrease memory loss in the APP/PS1 model of amyloid accumulation.

Fine JM, Renner DB, Forsberg AC, Cameron RA, Galick BT, Le C, Conway PM, Stroebel BM, Frey WH, Hanson LR

Neuroscience letters.. 2015 January 1584 :362-7. Epub 11/13/2014.

"Speaking-for" and "speaking-as": pseudo-surrogacy in physician-patient-companion medical encounters about advanced cancer.

Mazer BL, Cameron RA, DeLuca JM, Mohile SG, Epstein RM

Patient education and counseling.. 2014 July 96 (1):36-42. Epub 05/09/2014.