Sarah M. Belcher | School of Nursing | University of Pittsburgh

PhD, RN, OCN®

Assistant Professor

Health & Community Systems

Profile

Dr. Belcher’s research focuses on understanding and improving health outcomes among patients with high cost, advanced cancers, particularly among underserved populations. Her research and training have been supported by the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Nursing Research, the American Cancer Society, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Future of Nursing Scholars), the Nightingale Awards of Pennsylvania, the Center for Nursing Excellence in Palliative Care at Emory University, the Alpha Epsilon chapter of Sigma, the and intramural awards from the University of Pittsburgh. She was also the recipient of Loan Repayment Awards from the National Cancer Institute. Building upon her career development award (K23NR019296), her current research is examining multi-level predictors and outcomes of different phases of adherence to oral anticancer medications among patients with hematologic malignancies (R01CA292925).

Dr. Belcher’s publications can be found at: MyNCBI Bibliography

She is a member of the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Biobehavioral Cancer Control Program; core faculty in the Palliative Research Center (PaRC), with a secondary appointment in the School of Medicine; and a faculty affiliate of the Center for Pharmaceutical Policy and Prescribing in the School of Medicine and the Center for Health Equity in the School of Public Health.

Education and Training

Dr. Belcher received her BSN from The Ohio State University and was an Oncology Nurse Intern at Duke University Medical Center. She earned her PhD at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing. Her postdoctoral fellowship was in Biobehavioral Oncology at Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. She earned a Graduate Health Equity Certificate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health.

Scholarly Emphasis

Cancer treatment adherence
Health equity, financial hardship, and social and structural determinants of health
Cancer and cancer therapy outcomes
Cancer survivorship
Symptom science
Family caregivers

Teaching

Dr. Belcher teaches Health Promotion and Disease Prevention among Culturally Diverse Populations; the Cancer Survivorship doctoral seminar; and Intro to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She is a member of the teaching faculty on the School of Nursing’s T32 grant to train scholars in technology research to improve chronic and critical illness. An Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN®) with experience in nursing management and clinical expertise in cancer care across the disease trajectory, she was previously a clinical instructor in foundational, acute care, and community health nursing courses. She guest lectures on career development, mentorship, and numerous aspects of oncology nursing and has mentored nursing and interdisciplinary students across levels of training.

Service

Dr. Belcher’s service ranges from international to local. She is an active member of the International Society for Medication Adherence (ESPACOMP) and the Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC). Through Oncology Nursing Society, she was the nurse lead on a national panel that developed the 2022 ONS Guidelines to Support Patient Adherence to Oral Anticancer Medications and served on the committee to establish 2024-2027 ONS Research Priorities. She has served on study sections and reviewed grants for the NIH, the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development, the CDC, and other small grant mechanisms. Within the School of Nursing, Dr. Belcher serves as chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee and is active on the PhD Council. She has provided numerous community-based presentations on oncology topics and scientific careers to oncology nurses and to school-age children in local public schools.