Dr. Alan C. Hartford: An Expert Creating the Next Specialists in His Field

Dr. Alan C. Hartford is an expert in oncology, the field of medicine focusing on the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and study of cancer. Dr. Hartford specializes in neuro-oncology, connective tissue oncology, genitourinary oncology and pediatric oncology, with three decades of experience in his profession. He believes that there is no greater joy than nurturing the development, growth and healing of others and that science is a romantic quest for knowledge, with the application of medicine being a true art. 

On the Quest for Knowledge 

Dr. Hartford began his pursuit of this ideal with his education, first earning a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences with distinction from Stanford University in 1983, as well as a Master of Arts in philosophy in the same year. He went on to gain his MD from Harvard Medical School in 1992, followed by a PhD in political economy and government in 1997. This achievement of degrees was interspersed with internships and residency programs, beginning with an internship at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, from 1992 to 1993. This was followed by a residency in radiation oncology and a fellowship in radiation oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston from 1993 to 1998 and 1998 to 1999, respectively. 

Professional Achievements Along the Way 

Following his education, Dr. Hartford has been a researcher, professor and interim chief of radiation oncology. He is licensed to practice medicine in New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts and has served on more than 20 scientific study and review panels of the National Institutes of Health-National Cancer Institute. 

Establishing a Residency Program at Dartmouth’s Medical Center 

In accordance with his belief in science as a romantic quest for knowledge, Dr. Hartford is proud to have served as the founding director of the radiation oncology residency program at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center since 2016, also acting as a professor of medicine at the nearby Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth since 2021. Very few people are fortunate enough to start a residency program, making Dr. Hartford’s work in this role a unique feature of his career. He is proud that this program will help to create forward-thinking specialists in his field, serving to discover new knowledge as they grow in experience. 

Dr. Hartford’s dedication to this residency program reveals his position as a mentor. He has worked with numerous undergraduate, graduate and professional students who have gone on to achieve great things in their respective fields. Dr. Hartford is also committed to his role as a researcher, serving as an associate editor for “Practical Radiation Oncology.” He has contributed, authored and co-authored several original articles in scientific reviews and medical journals, always working to advance the field of medicine. Beyond the professional, Dr. Hartford is also the author of “First Days of August,” a 2015 novel published under the pen name Alan Froning. 

Dr. Hartford’s Greatest Achievement and Hope for the Future 

Dr. Hartford still cites his greatest achievement as the birth of his daughter, Anya. Looking toward the future, he most anticipates the joy that will come from seeing his daughter grow up. Though he acknowledges that happiness and heartache are unavoidable, he hopes that these work together to create the goodness of life.  

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