Meet Mark Shiroishi, MD

Dr. Shiroishi is a diagnostic radiology and neuroradiology specialist at Keck Medicine of USC, who specializes in brain tumor imaging.

Here’s what you won’t find on his resume.

Medicine has been his dream since adolescence.

“Since high school, I always wanted to become a physician. My mother worked as an electron microscopy technician at several research institutes and hospitals around Los Angeles, and I would volunteer at these institutions to get greater experience. It confirmed that medicine and research were the right path for me.

“Becoming a doctor combined my interest in science and my desire to make a positive impact on people’s lives.”

He spends his free time enjoying his family, sports and music.

“I like to spend time with my wife, two teenage kids and my parents. I also enjoy competitive basketball and tennis. I’m currently trying to learn how to play the guitar and drums.”

He credits his parents for his work ethic.

“My parents are my greatest role models — they taught me the value of hard work and commitment.”

He values hard work and dedication.

“’Show up early and be the last to leave’ is the best advice I have ever received.”

Empathy is a key tenet in his philosophy of care.

“Having had several family members with serious medical illnesses is a daily reminder about how critical it is to have physicians who are doing their absolute best. I try to talk to my patients the way I would want a doctor to talk to me or one of my family members. It can be frightening to be a patient, so I try to be empathetic and answer all of the questions my patients or their family members have during a visit. It’s important that we are all on the same page.

“Medicine is not a job where you ‘clock in and clock out’. My actions have an immediate impact on my patients’ lives, so I have to make sure that I do everything possible to provide the most accurate diagnosis and exceptional treatment.”

Innovations in his specialty are helping improve cancer care.

“In my field of brain tumor imaging, advancements in perfusion MRI have led to major progress in our understanding of which and how tumors respond to therapy.

“Currently, I’m working on several research projects, including trying to understand the underlying causes of cancer-related cognitive issues, also called chemo brain, and using imaging to better understand the blood supply to tumors that spread to the brain (brain metastases) from other parts of the body.”

His work offers many rewards.

“I enjoy having an immediate, positive impact in the care we provide to our patients, thanks to what we can learn about their condition through our image interpretation and the procedures we perform. Also, being able to teach the next generation of neuroradiologists and performing research to gain new knowledge about the brain and its response to injury are very rewarding.”

He views challenges as opportunities for growth.

“Working at an academic medical center, like Keck Medicine, provides an opportunity to take on the most challenging cases, teach the next generation of neuroradiologists and perform interesting clinical research.”

He chose Keck Medicine for its commitment to excellence.

“The physicians, nurses and staff at Keck Medicine are committed to excellence. Our team at the USC Brain Tumor Center brings together some of the world’s foremost experts in the care of people with brain tumors.

“We treat some of the most complex brain tumors, and our research efforts are pushing the boundaries of what we know about brain tumor diagnosis and treatment.”

View Dr. Shiroishi’s full biography and schedule an appointment.

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