Just a Small-Town Girl
Dr. Tyler Fugere is not the most established board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist in the state, having only started her work in Benton a little more than a year ago. However, she has already got name recognition that far outstrips many of her peers considering her practice through Genesis Cancer and Blood Institute brings her face to face with people she knows as neighbors first and patients second.
“I love practicing in my hometown,” she said. “One of my favorite things about it is I love the connections — you know, somebody says, ‘Oh, I know your parents from church.’ It just starts off the doctor-patient relationship with a little bit of connection, being from the same area and knowing the same background stuff.”
Fugere follows in the footsteps of her mother, a primary care physician. She said watching the connection her mother had with the people she treated left a big impression that led Fugere to medical school.
“When I was growing up, I knew I wanted to be a doctor because of the relationship [my mother] had with her patients. I really thought that I would like that,” she said. “Whenever I was going through my training, especially in oncology, I felt a connection with those patients. People are going through a tough thing, and so being able to be there and help them through that was really what inspired me to go into oncology.”
After graduating from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, she earned her medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. There, she also completed her internal medicine residency and hematology-oncology fellowship before landing at Genesis. Again, the value of relationships is what made her choose it over other organizations courting her.
“When I first met everybody there, I could tell everyone was really kind and genuine and caring, and they really put patients first. That stood out to me even from the beginning,” she said. “I would say it’s really a collective goal here to put the patient first. Everybody from the front desk to the pharmacy to the physicians and nurses, we all agree on that.”
With that as her base, Fugere said she has learned a great many of the finer points of treating people over her first year, things that cannot be taught in medical school but must be learned at bedside.
“Not every patient fits the textbook. In fact, I think most of them don’t,” she said. “When you learn about cancer in school, you learn about it in isolation, like the patients don’t have any other problems. A lot of our patients have other medical problems that you have to consider when you’re talking about what treatment to do. Sometimes you have to tweak things to fit the patient instead of just saying ‘Oh, this disease gets this.’ You have to tailor it to the patient in front of you.”
Time spent in study and research is a given, Fugere said, in order to keep up with the rapidly changing field of cancer and its treatment. Having trusted mentors also helps, she said.
“I still very much have connections to mentors. I’m very fortunate to have good people in this practice who are very approachable, and they’re all just a phone call away,” she said. “Sometimes you already know what you want to do, but it’s still nice to hear someone you trust agree, so we talk to each other a lot.”
Fugere said she has seen more women go into her field, providing a balance of viewpoints and life experiences. At some point, that might allow her to work directly alongside another female oncologist locally, but for now, she is the sole sentry standing that post for the people of her hometown.
“I’m the only oncologist here in Benton from any group, so I see a little bit of everything, whatever comes in the door,” she said. “If they’re in Benton and they need care, I take care of them.”
Photo courtesy of Genesis Cancer and Blood Institute
SEE THE FEATURE BELOW AND IN OUR AUGUST 2026 ISSUE OF AY MAGAZINE
