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How do I get an Oncology Fellowship?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Getting an oncology fellowship means pursuing highly specialized training in medicine. Not everyone can apply for these fellowships because of their requirements. Moreover, many programs that offer an oncology fellowship will only accept doctors who are already specialists in internal medicine. Thus a lot of preparation goes into this final training element that helps doctors work with patients who have cancer.

As with any medical specialty, in the US, students will first need to obtain an undergraduate degree, usually in pre-med. They’ll need good grades and good scores on the medical college admission test (MCAT) so they can apply and be accepted to medical school. Once in medical school, they typically complete a four-year program that allows them to become licensed as doctors.

Getting an oncology fellowship means pursuing highly specialized training in medicine.
Getting an oncology fellowship means pursuing highly specialized training in medicine.

For those doctors who want an oncology fellowship, the next step may be applying to a program to train in internal medicine, which takes about two to four years to complete. At point of completion or slightly before, doctors can begin looking at the various teaching hospitals that offer oncology fellowships. There are quite a few hospital programs, but acceptance may depend upon the assessment the student has thus far garnered in residency, and on strong letters of recommendation. How a student assembles his/her curriculum vitae (like a resume), what experiences he or she has had, and even grades in medical school may influence decisions on what fellowship programs will accept him or her.

The standard oncology fellowship often requires a student to get good grades.
The standard oncology fellowship often requires a student to get good grades.

Though the specialization in internal medicine is required in some fellowship programs, it is not required in all. Students should decide, before the close of medical school, the direction that appears best for them. There may be advantages to having internal medicine training but among its disadvantages is length of time it will then take before practicing the doctor’s chosen profession. However, with training as an internist, students do have more choices when it comes to applying to oncology fellowship programs.

An oncology specialist may determine a cancer patient's chemotherapy dosage.
An oncology specialist may determine a cancer patient's chemotherapy dosage.

Sometimes when the question of how to get an oncology fellowship is asked, it really applies to a summer training program usually offered for medical school students interested in oncology. There are a few of these programs available. Like the standard oncology fellowship, they may require good grades and strong recommendations. Certainly the student interested in specializing in oncology might most benefit from one of these programs, and participation could look very good on a curriculum vitae when it comes to getting into competitive oncology fellowships later.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

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Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

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Discussion Comments

suntan12

@Icecream17 - I agree,and I know that medical students that are interested in pursuing a gynecologic oncology fellowship program can obtain information from the Society of Gynecologic Oncology.

I know in Florida, the University of Miami and the University of South Florida cancer hospitals offer this specialized training.

I have a lot of respect for people in this field because many of these doctors try their best to save their patients and the care and bedside manner that many of these doctors demonstrate is enough to make you appreciate what they do.

My mother died of uterine cancer and the gynecologic oncologist that was treating her was amazing. These doctors often have enormous compassion and really bond with the families of the patient as well. I will never forget this lady, and how she made my mother and my whole family feel.

icecream17

I think that any doctor working in the oncology field really has to be strong because I cannot imagine what it must be like to have to tell a patient that they have cancer.

I know that the field is very challenging and rewarding because you do save a lot of people’s lives, but I think that it must be especially hard when you have bad news to share. I imagine that this is something that most doctors learn how to handle with more experience, and my talking to other doctors on a oncology fellowship forum when they are training.

Talking on a forum also helps to learn from what other medical students have experienced and sharing these experiences must make the job easier.

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    • Getting an oncology fellowship means pursuing highly specialized training in medicine.
      By: WavebreakmediaMicro
      Getting an oncology fellowship means pursuing highly specialized training in medicine.
    • The standard oncology fellowship often requires a student to get good grades.
      By: VIPDesign
      The standard oncology fellowship often requires a student to get good grades.
    • An oncology specialist may determine a cancer patient's chemotherapy dosage.
      By: nebari
      An oncology specialist may determine a cancer patient's chemotherapy dosage.
    • Those completing an oncology fellowship often work in clinical settings managing the care of patients with cancer.
      By: Photographee.eu
      Those completing an oncology fellowship often work in clinical settings managing the care of patients with cancer.
    • Many oncology programs accept only doctors who have already completed training in internal medicine.
      By: Andres Rodriguez
      Many oncology programs accept only doctors who have already completed training in internal medicine.