Feb
i wan to be an oncologist when i grow up………….
i was wondering if someone could tell me the different kinds of oncologists? and there salary?
an i was wondering if anyone has had this job and enjoyed it………i want to enjoy my job when i grow up…….
ok thanks for your imput………..
but i would really appreciate it if you could not make annoying side comments…………………….thanks alot
Answer:
Hi, an oncologist is a doctor who specializes in cancer.
In the USA, anyone aspiring to be an oncologist must accomplish the following
High school
4 years of college
4 years of medical school
3 years of an Internal medicine residency.
2-3 years of oncology fellowship.
Oncology is a dynamic, challenging, and exciting field. The patients they take care of are extremely sick, and an oncologist has to be comfortable talking about dying with their patients and their families.
That being said, it can be extremely rewarding helping a patient through their treatments and guiding them to remission. Also, oncologists often take part in cutting edge research and trials for new therapies.
Even if you specialize in oncology you often find yourself subspecializing. The oncology training program is usually combined with hematology (the study of diseases of the blood). Thus, you may decide to focus on blood cancers (leukemia). You can also specialize in any of the other cancers (lung cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, etc).
The salary for oncologists is usually quite good, but it varies depending on a number of factors. A ball park figure is $150,000 to $500,000. These figures usually depend on where you are and what type of practice you are in. Big cities usually pay less because more doctors want to stay in the big cities. Also academic university jobs pay less than private clinics.
Oncology can be a dream job for many, and I definitely recommend to people who are up to the challenge of taking care of sick patients, are excited about cutting edge research, and are willing to be life-long learners as the field of oncology is constantly changing.
You didn't say how old you are. If you are in grade school or high school, then your first priority is to do well in school as getting into medical school is extremely tough. You should aim for a GPA of 3.5 or better. When you get into college you should also aim for a GPA of 3.5 or better.
You may also try to find an oncologist and ask if you can volunteer at the clinic, so that you can get a feel for what goes on at a cancer clinic.
Good luck and I'm happy to answer additional questions if you have them
Answer:
I can only hope that you are a compassionate oncologist, if that is really what you want to be. When you go to school, be careful not to develop an arrogant attitude when it comes to your patients. If you hand them a diagnosis of cancer, know that you have basically told this person the worst thing they could ever hear in their lives. Know that you will devestate the family and they all will feel so helpless. When a patient tells you they are going to rely on their faith, don't jest at them, or put them down, but rather, give them options. You will find, oncology is big business, and although lucrative, you will hold the lives of not just the patient, but all of their loved ones in your hands, now that's power. All I have to say is, use it wisely.