Precision Education

Nadine Friedrich, MD, arrived at Cedars-Sinai with a clinical foundation that spanned continents. After earning her medical degree in Mexico and pursuing education in palliative care within oncology in Spain, Friedrich was determined to build a future in U.S. medicine, despite the hurdles facing international medical graduates.

While researching oncology opportunities, Friedrich found the T32 Prostate Cancer Program and reached out to the program’s principal investigator, Stephen Freedland, MD, director of the Center for Integrated Research in Cancer and Lifestyle and associate director for Training and Education at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute.

“I didn’t expect a response, but he replied almost immediately,” said Friedrich. Within months, Friedrich was immersed in a robust research environment that broadened both her focus and opportunities.

Mentoring is a two-way street. When it’s done well, it challenges the mentor and the mentee.

Under the guidance of Freedland and other Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University mentors, Friedrich became first author on multiple studies investigating prostate cancer outcomes, androgen deprivation therapy toxicity and racial differences in treatment effects—studies that demanded statistical rigor and clinical nuance. And when Friedrich expressed interest in computational biomedicine and AI, Freedland encouraged her to cross disciplines and connected her with collaborators outside his own laboratory.

“That’s really what we mean by precision education,” said Freedland, who is the Warschaw, Robertson, Law Families Chair in Prostate Cancer. “The goal is to tailor programming and training to the individual learner based on their interests and skill set.”

Learners achieve real ownership and visibility of their work and have access to career-defining opportunities. During her time at Cedars-Sinai, Friedrich has published more than 20 papers in high-impact journals.

“Mentoring is a two-way street. When it’s done well, it challenges the mentor and the mentee,” said Freedland. “Teaching forces me to interrogate my own processes—about study design, surgery and clinical decision-making—and that makes me a better physician and a better investigator.”

Today, Friedrich is a third-year postdoctoral fellow preparing for a competitive urology residency with a national-caliber CV—and, increasingly, her own mentees.

“Working with Dr. Freedland taught me how to write papers for top-tier publications, stand at the podium with confidence and pursue a highly competitive specialty,” Friedrich said. “He opened doors, encouraged me to pursue uncharted projects, and modeled the type of mentor and clinician I aspire to be.”