Biography

Dr. Koosh Desai, MD is a practicing internal medicine physician in Albany, Ga and a public health advocate dedicated to colorectal cancer (CRC) prevention. His passion began during his residency in Augusta, where he saw the devastating impact of preventable cancers in his patient population. His research revealed significant disparities in CRC screening, with rates 30% lower in rural and urban underserved areas. In response, Dr. Desai developed a non-profit, which implemented provider education interventions and increased screening rates at 4 health systems around the state. He published his work and even earned the Best Public Health Outreach "SCOPY" Award from the American College of Gastroenterology in 2018. After residency, he helped secure Center of Disease Control funding to develop the Georgia Colorectal Cancer Control Program. He’s served as Regional Medical Director of this effort since 2020 and launched various initiatives including successful industry partnerships. His clinics were among the first in the nation to integrate Cologuard Patient Assistance Program and he’s now piloting the “Kits on Site” for Exact Science’s Health Equity Division. He also leads the nationally recognized educational platform, TeleECHO for CRC screening. Dr. Desai has presented at national conferences, including the White House Cancer Moonshot, and been active in public education through media and webinars. He is also involved in legislative advocacy, and helped secured the Fight CRC Catalyst Grant to support CRC awareness efforts in Georgia. Dr. Desai’s leadership and dedication to CRC prevention have made a significant impact, and he is committed to advancing early detection and reducing screening gaps both in Georgia and nationally. In addition, he serves as the Assistant Dean of Medical College of Georgia’s Southwest Campus where he educates the next generation of physicians.

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