Vandalia Health Mon Medical Center
By McKenzie Stalnaker
William Carr McBee Jr., M.D., at Vandalia Health Mon Medical Center, has earned several awards in his field, yet he prefers
to keep his head down and focus on what matters most—his patients.
A lifelong West Virginian, McBee grew up in Morgantown and has deep roots in the community. After graduating from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Arts in biology and later earning his M.D., he furthered his education and training, including a residency at MetroHealth Medical Center/Cleveland Clinic and a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at UPMC Magee-Women’s Hospital.
Along the way, McBee has had the support and guidance of many, both personally and professionally. Andrew Patrick Soisson and Paul Kramer were the first who sparked his interest in gynecologic oncology. During his residency and fellowship, mentors like Peter Rose and Tom Krivak helped shape his skills and push him, helping to mold him into the surgeon he is today. He is also quick to acknowledge the role his parents had in his success as well as his wife, Jessica.
Building on the guidance and inspiration he received, McBee’s decision to enter gynecologic oncology was also deeply personal.
“I chose gynecologic oncology because I wanted to be a cancer surgeon. Unlike other cancer specialties, it allows you to perform both surgery and chemotherapy for women with gynecologic cancer,” he says. “The other thing I like about it is that you get to follow patients for a long period of time and establish meaningful relationships, as opposed to performing a surgery and not seeing them again.”
His journey is rooted in gratitude and a desire to give back. Choosing to begin his practice in his home state was more than a professional decision. It was a personal commitment to the people and places that shaped his values. He draws inspiration from the familiar faces and shared experiences of his community, fueling his dedication to compassionate, high-quality care.
“I am a West Virginian through and through,” McBee says. “I love this state and the people in it. I take pride in treating the patients of West Virginia and providing care on par with or superior to what they would receive at any other institution.”
Cancer care presents many unique challenges that McBee is deeply familiar with. He describes being continually humbled by both the disease process and how it not only affects the patients but their families as well.
“You address the challenges as they present, in the moment and throughout time,” McBee says. “They are continuously changing the physician and person I am.”
In addition to treating women with gynecologic malignancies, McBee dedicates his time to performing numerous complex gynecologic surgeries, almost all of which are minimally invasive. He spends three and half days a week in the operating room, roughly 25 surgeries a week, prioritizing the remainder of his time to seeing his patients in the office.
When reflecting on his greatest achievements, McBee first emphasizes the importance of his family. He highlights the support and partnership of his wife and best friend, a nurse practitioner at Vandalia Health Mon Medical Center, as well as the joy and fulfillment brought by his five children, Joey, Colin, Quentin, Anna and Rowan.
Professionally, McBee identifies his greatest success as building his practice from the ground up.
“We started with zero patients,” he says. “Through Dr. Heiskell’s help initially and my dedication, we have grown into the largest gynecologic oncology practice in the state and probably the country.”
McBee’s deep connection to his community and appreciation for the people he serves are evident in his reflections on practicing in West Virginia.
“The people of West Virginia are strong and resilient. They are the best patients,” he says. “Family is a huge part of everyone’s lives, and that is very important to me.”
Advancing Cancer Care through Clinical Research
William Carr McBee Jr., M.D., at Vandalia Health Mon Medical Center, has played a pivotal role in developing Mon Health’s clinical research program, expanding access to innovative treatments for patients across the region. From the beginning, he prioritized building a strong foundation, hiring a full-time clinical trials coordinator and leveraging his fellowship at UPMC as a lead academic participating site.
This partnership enabled Mon Health to open trials efficiently, providing oversight and offering staff training opportunities. Currently, its research affiliation is with CAMC.
Bringing clinical trials in-state has made a real difference for patients. It reduces travel and financial burdens, improves engagement, increases diversity in participation and gives more people access to cutting edge therapies. Through these efforts, McBee ensures that the gynecologic oncology program at Vandalia Health Mon Medical Center not only treats patients effectively but also contributes to the broader advancement of women’s cancer care in West Virginia. The gynecologic oncology team, under McBee’s guidance, has contributed to studies developing ovarian cancer screening methods, highlighting the impact and potential of this trial on both patient care and medical research.
“Vandalia Health Mon Medical Center can offer its patients more trials closer to home, leveraging the strengths of large regional academic systems,” McBee says.
The program’s expansion has also been key in supporting Vandalia Health Mon Medical Center’s long-standing Commission on Cancer accreditation, ensuring patient accrual, state-of-the-art care and continuous quality improvement. McBee credits much of this success to the teamwork behind the scenes, especially colleagues like Regan Siko, oncology service line director, whose 13 years of experience and leadership have been vital in building a program that works for both patients and the institution.
