Oncology
- Ashley V
- Dec 28, 2022
- 2 min read
What is Oncology? Oncology is the study and treatment of cancer. Oncologists are the doctors who specialize in diagnosing, treating and preventing cancers. There are various subspecialties under this umbrella. Pathway to becoming an Oncologist First off, a person needs to finish high school and four years of college (pre-med). During their time in college they need to do some research, get some volunteer hours, have a good GPA and a good MCAT score so they can be competitive for medical school. Then they need to apply and get into medical school. During medical school, they need to keep up good grades and they need to have a competitive STEP 1 and STEP 2 score to match into a competitive residency program. Oncology is a pretty competitive field. The number of years in residency varies based on the type of subspecialty the person wants to go into.
Subspecialities: Radiation Oncology: To become a radiation oncologist the person needs to complete a three to four year residency in medical oncology, followed by one year of fellowship in radiation oncology. Or they can choose to do a four year radiation oncology residency. Radiation Oncology is the department where radiation therapy is used to treat cancers. High energy radiation is used to kill cancer cells, some cells die immediately but most die because of the damage in their DNA and chromosomes caused by the radiation.
Surgical Oncology: Unlike other subspecialties where the residency is done in oncology or in a field of internal medicine. To become a surgical oncologist the person first has to finish a five year residency in general surgery followed by a three year fellowship in surgical oncology. Surgical Oncology is the department where surgery is used to treat cancers. This one of the primary methods to treat cancer. The surgeon will perform surgeries to get rid of cancerous tumors. Gynecological Oncology: The training to become a gynecological oncologist begins with a four year residency in gynecology followed by a three year residency in gynecological oncology. Gynecological Oncology deals with cancers involving the female reproductive system. Which includes the uterus, the ovaries, the vagina, the cervix and the vulva. Radiation and surgical methods are used to treat female reproductive cancers.
Pediatric Oncology:
To become a pediatric oncologist first a three year residency in pediatrics is needed followed by a three year fellowship in pediatric oncology. This department deals with the cancers in children. Cancers in children differ from adults because there are some cancers which affect only children such as a neuroblastoma. Also, the treatment plans will vary a lot as the methods used for adults can’t be used in children.
Neuro-oncology:
The path to becoming a neuro-oncologist begins with a three year residency in neurology followed by a two year fellowship in neuro-oncology. This department deals with cancer involving the brain and the spinal cord. Treatment in this department requires extreme focus and precision as a single wrong move can result in drastic changes to the patient's life, such as becoming paralyzed or brain death.
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