World renowned urologist and prostate cancer specialist awarded Honorary Fellowship

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow has awarded world-leading surgeon, Professor Ashutosh Tewari, with its highest honour. 

Professor Tewari was made an Honorary Fellow of the College at a Diploma Ceremony on Wednesday 6 May. Based at Mount Sinai hospital in New York, Professor Tewari is a pioneer of robotic surgery to treat patients with prostate cancer.

He is also working to unlock the genomic causes of prostate cancer, as well as investigating innovative imaging techniques to identify biomarkers that could play a crucial role in diagnosis, treatment planning, and management of the disease.

Upon accepting the award, Professor Tewari paid tribute to his family, the colleagues and mentors who have inspired him throughout his career, as well as his patients: “The truest purpose of all this work.” 

He said: "Over more than 10,000 operations, my patients have placed in my hands the most precious thing they possess - their lives and their trust. This honour belongs to them as much as to anyone in this room. 

"To be recognised by this great College, in this great city, is a privilege I will carry for the rest of my life. 

"I accept this fellowship with humility, with gratitude, and with a renewed commitment to the work that still lies ahead." 

He currently serves at Mount Sinai hospital, one of the oldest teaching hospitals in the US, as System Chair at the Milton and Carroll Petrie Department of Urology at the Ichan School of Medicine. 

Since his arrival at Mount Sinai in 2013, the Petrie Department of Urology has significantly expanded to provide state-of-the-art services for the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and management of wide variety of urological cancers. 

Having performed tens of thousands of robotic operations in his career, he has since become known for his nerve-sparing technique for better functional outcomes and recovery post-surgery. 

He is also leading the development of a new prostate cancer vaccine, funded by the United States National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense. 

The award was presented by College President, Professor Hany Eteiba, who said: "For more than 425 years, our College has been a place of innovation. It’s therefore fitting that we are presenting this Honorary Fellowship to a global innovator who is making a continued impact on the lives of patients around the world. 

"We welcome Professor Tewari warmly to our College community. His work to improve outcomes for countless patients and their families – and to pave the way for new understanding of one of the world’s most common cancers in men – is an inspiration."

As the UK’s only multidisciplinary Royal College, Professor Tewari was joined on the night by its newest Fellows and Members from across the world. More than 520 of the College’s Fellows and Members are based in North America, practising across medicine, surgery, dentistry, travel medicine and podiatry.