Memorial Sloan Kettering pediatric oncologist Tara O'Donohue

Tara O’Donohue, MD, MS

Pediatric Oncologist

My Role at MSK

Areas of Expertise

My Specialties

  • Early Phase Clinical Trials
  • Precision Oncology
  • Developmental Therapeutics

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About Me

What I Do at MSK
  • Assistant Attending Pediatrician
Get To Know Me

I am a pediatric oncologist on the MSK Kids team who specializes in early-phase clinical trials evaluating promising new treatments for pediatric cancers. I am a member of the Sarcoma Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), where I care for pediatric and young adult patients with soft-tissue and bone sarcomas, as well as rare pediatric solid tumors.

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At MSK, I also help lead the Pediatric Translational Medicine Program’s (PTMP) clinical service. This program allows us to closely study and sequence tumors for mutations and other molecular changes in every child and young adult with cancer at MSK. The information that we learn about a patient’s tumor may provide valuable clues that can be used to select the most appropriate therapies for each patient. It also allows us to start new research projects and develop potentially lifesaving drugs.

Many of the early-phase clinical trials that we conduct through the PTMP are focused on getting the “right drug” to the “right patient.” Historically, we would treat all patients with a certain type of cancer the same way; however, thanks to recent advances in genomic profiling and increased accessibility of these technologies, we are starting to understand what makes each tumor different. This means that we can tailor treatments to the unique biology of a patient’s cancer.

It is not only exciting due to the rapid advances in scientific discovery in our field, but also because these findings may have broad-reaching impact, improving patient outcomes on a large scale.

Patients and families who are seeking early-phase clinical trials have often already gone through so much, and I acknowledge that finding the right trial can be a long and strenuous process. Therefore, when I meet a patient and their family for the first time, I try to learn as much as I can about them, as each child and family have unique experiences, values, and goals. This way, I am best positioned to support each patient and family based on their specific situation and preferences while considering the most up to date scientific evidence when creating a treatment plan with our dedicated team of experts at MSK Kids (physicians, advance practice providers, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, researchers, and more).

I initially became interested in pediatric cancer care and research when a family member of mine was being treated at MSK. At the time, I decided to volunteer with Child Life Services, and I was completely in awe of the pediatric patients’ resilience and their families’ strength and grace. I am humbled to be able to provide care for children and young adults affected by cancer, and I am honored to do so alongside an incredibly dedicated team at MSK Kids who work tirelessly to inch closer to finding a cure for pediatric cancer.

My Role at MSK

A pediatric oncologist is a doctor with special training in cancer in children and adolescents.

Areas of Expertise

My Specialties

  • Early Phase Clinical Trials
  • Precision Oncology
  • Developmental Therapeutics
  • Rare Pediatric Tumors
  • Relapsed and Refractory Tumors in Pediatric and Young Adult Patients
  • Pediatric Sarcomas
Education & Honors

Education

  • MD, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
  • MS, Weill Cornell Medicine Clinical & Translational Science Center

Residencies

  • Pediatrics - NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center

Awards and Honors

  • Research Fellow, Margaux’s Miracle Foundation (2020)
  • Medical Oncology Fellow, The Kristen Ann Carr Fund (2019)
  • Betty Neuwirth Lee Fellow (2018)

Fellowships

  • Pediatric Hematology/Oncology - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center/Weill Cornell Medicine

Board Certifications

  • Pediatrics
  • Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

Insurance Information

Understanding your insurance options is an important part of managing your cancer care. We have relationships with many common healthcare providers and plans.

Aetna

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS, Transplant

Aetna Medicare Advantage (City of NY retirees only, starting 9/1/23)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee Program

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield New York

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Blue Cross Blue Shield states outside of NY/NJ

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS

Blue Cross Health Plus

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Carrum Health

In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental

Cigna

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Connecticare

In Network Coverage Type
POS, EPO, HMO

Emblem

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Emblem Essential

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Emblem Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

Empire Blue Cross Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO, DSN

Empire Essential

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Empire Plan / NYSHIP (Blue Cross/UnitedHealthcare split plan)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Fidelis

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO

Fidelis Managed Medicaid & HARP

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Fidelis Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

First Health

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Healthfirst

In Network Coverage Type
EPO, HMO, PPO, POS

Healthfirst Managed Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Healthfirst Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO

Healthsmart

In Network Coverage Type
PPO EPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (HMO)

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (PPO)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier I (EPO)

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier II (EPO)

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

Horizon Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

Husky CT Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Magnacare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO

Straight NJ Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Straight NY Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Medicare Part A&B (traditional Medicare)

In Network Coverage Type
Federal Government

Multiplan/Beech Street/PHCS

In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental

MVP

In Network Coverage Type
PPO/OAP

Non-Participating Plans with Out of Network Benefits

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

NYC Medicare Advantage Plus for City Employees

In Network Coverage Type
TBD

Oscar

In Network Coverage Type
HMO/EPO

Oxford

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, EPO

World Trade Center Health Program (WTC)

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Qualcare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Tricare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

UMR

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS

United Healthcare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Don't see your carrier or plan? We can help you understand your coverage.

If you don't have health insurance or are worried that your care may not be fully covered, our financial assistance programs may be able to help.

If you have questions about insurance, call us at 646-497-9176.

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Current Patients

Request an appointment by logging on to MyMSK or calling your doctor’s office. If you aren’t registered for MyMSK, call 646-227-2593 for your Enrollment ID.

Contact and Location

Dr. O’Donohue sees patients at one location.

Office Phone
Location
New York, NY
1275 York Avenue New York NY 10065

Looking to see a doctor at a different location? See all MSK locations.

Colleagues

Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering work as teams, with specialists from all different areas. This allows us to consider all your needs together, and to give you the best possible care.

See all Pediatrics doctors

Clinical Trials

Disclosures

Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.

MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.

Tara O’Donohue discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

No disclosures meeting criteria for time period


If you’re a patient at MSK and would like more information about your doctor’s external relationships, please talk with your doctor.

The information published here is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.


This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2022 through disclosure submission in spring 2023). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.

Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at [email protected].


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