Meet Christopher Foss, MD

Dr. Foss is a hematologist-oncologist with Keck Medicine of USC who specializes in diagnosing and treating patients with blood disorders and cancers.

He treats patients at Keck Hospital of USC and USC Norris Cancer Hospital. Here’s what you won’t find on his resume.

His first opportunity to help patients came from his dad.

“My dad is a retired dentist. When I would visit him at his dental practice as a kid, sometimes there would be a child there crying — because, obviously, no kid wants to go to the dentist. So, whenever I was there and there was a kid crying in the dentist’s chair, my dad would call me over to try to comfort them.

I’ve always looked up to my dad, and that early experience put me on the path to medical school. Today, as a physician, that’s still what I’m doing: reassuring people and providing support.”

His goal is to take care of patients like he would his own family.

“Getting to know people and taking care of them is one of my favorite parts of being a physician. Reassuring people during uncertain or troubling times and guiding them through very difficult processes — and then having a good outcome — is so rewarding.

Now, as a new father, I have an even greater appreciation for taking care of people. I think, ‘If this was my family, how would I want the doctor treating them?’ Whenever we take our infant daughter to the pediatrician and have a good experience, we feel so grateful to have a good doctor. It’s important to me to create that feeling for all my patients.”

The best advice he’s ever received:

“Back before medical school when I was shadowing a doctor, he said something along the lines of, ‘Patients don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’ That stuck with me and is something I always draw on when establishing relationships with patients.”

When he’s not working, he loves being outdoors.

“I love being outside. Recreationally, I love to golf. I’m usually interested in anything related to sports. In fact, when I was a kid, I wanted to be a professional baseball player for the Dodgers.”

He looks forward to more travel.

“Our family loves to travel. There are a ton of places we still haven’t visited that we’d like to see — especially in Europe. We spent our honeymoon in Italy and the Amalfi Coast last year, and there are so many other places and cities in Italy we want to see. We definitely plan to go back at some point.”

Despite what some might think, the field of hematology-oncology is filled with optimism.

“I’m very happy in this specialty. There may be a misconception that this is a very depressing field because it focuses on cancer, but I don’t find that to be true. In fact, when you are able to help people, it’s incredibly uplifting. Also, the ongoing and rapid development of medications and treatments makes this an exciting field to be a part of.”

Such advancements are quickly expanding treatment options.

“As mentioned, the rapid development of medications, trying to move away from standard chemotherapy treatments, has really had a positive impact. Many newer treatments are now available. Immunotherapies and targeted therapies have really made meaningful changes in patient outcomes and can be game changers for some patients.”

He values his colleagues at Keck Medicine.

“The people at Keck Medicine really make a difference. It’s inspiring to be around so many talented doctors and staff. I had a great experience training here during residency and fellowship. And, as a physician, it’s important to me to be part of a comprehensive cancer center with all the resources I could ever want or need to help my patients.

What also sets us apart at Keck Medicine is that we really focus on helping each individual. At some big medical centers that take care of so many people, patients can sometimes get the feeling they are lost in the shuffle. However, I think Keck Medicine does a really good job of supporting each individual patient and their needs. It’s a great place to work at and to be a part of.”

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