High School

If you are interested in a career as an oncologist, the first step is to take college preparatory courses in high school. Science courses, such as biology, chemistry, physics, and anatomy, will help prepare you for college. Math courses, such as algebra, geometry, and trigonometry, are also important. English and speech classes will help you develop your research, writing, and oral communication skills. Computer science courses are also essential.

Postsecondary Training

Your next step in becoming an oncologist is to earn a bachelor's degree at an accredited college or university. Students who plan to go to medical school typically major in a science, such as biology or chemistry. Regardless of the major, course work should emphasize the sciences and include classes such as biology, chemistry, anatomy, and physiology. Other important classes to take include mathematics, such as calculus, English, ethics, and psychology. Volunteering or working at a hospital during your college years is also an excellent way to gain experience working in a medical setting.

After receiving an undergraduate degree, you need to apply to, and be accepted by, a medical school. Admission is competitive, and applicants must undergo a fairly extensive and difficult admissions process that takes into consideration grade point averages, scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), and professor recommendations. Most students apply to several schools early in their senior year of college. Only about one-third of the applicants are accepted.

For the first two years of medical school, you attend lectures and classes and do laboratory work. Classes include biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, psychology, and medical ethics. You also learn to take patient histories, perform routine examinations, and recognize symptoms. In the third and fourth years, you spend time working in hospitals and clinics where you are supervised by residents and physicians. It is during this time that you do rotations. Rotations are brief periods of study in a particular area, such as oncology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and surgery. On rotations you learn the distinctive qualities of different medical specialties and work on diagnosing and treating patients. Medical school lasts four years. At the end of this time, you have earned the degree doctor of medicine (M.D.).

After graduating from medical school, you must pass a standard exam given by the National Board of Medical Examiners. You then complete an internship or transition year during which you decide your area of specialization.

Following your medical schooling and internship, you complete a residency in your chosen specialty. For example, someone interested in gynecologic oncology completes a four-year obstetrics and gynecology residency. Someone interested in medical oncology, on the other hand, does a residency in internal medicine. Following the residency, you will complete a fellowship (specialized study) in oncology. A fellowship in gynecologic oncology, for example, can take from two to four years to complete.

Certification or Licensing

New physicians are required to take an examination to be licensed to practice. Every state requires such an examination. It is conducted through the board of medical examiners in each state.

Certification is highly recommended. Certification for oncologists is administered by boards in their area of specialty. For example, certification for medical oncologists is administered by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Certification for gynecologic oncologists is administered by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Oncologists must have a bachelor's degree and four years of medical school, usually followed by at least three years of a residency and the passage of written and practical exams. Oncologists must possess a wide range of skills, including detail orientation, manual dexterity to handle very precise tools, physical stamina to endure long hours standing, organization skills to keep track of different patients' diagnoses and treatments, and problem-solving skills to make proper evaluations of patients' symptoms in a timely manner. Needed personality traits include empathy and compassion toward patients, and patience in dealing with their problems.

Oncologists must be extremely hard working, perceptive, and emotionally balanced individuals. They must also be voracious readers to keep up with the new information about the cause, prevention, and treatment of cancer that is updated constantly. Staying current with new information also requires a proficiency with technology because oncologists must use computers to research new developments. They also need research and writing skills to publish their research results.

In addition to the intellectual rigors of the job, oncologists must be prepared to accept emotional and psychological challenges. Each day, they interact with people who are very ill and frightened. They must be able to maintain objectivity and composure under intensely emotional circumstances. Because oncologists must explain complex information to patients and their families who may have little or no scientific background, they also must be able to communicate clearly and directly. Excellent interpersonal skills will help the oncologist work as part of a medical team. A surgical oncologist, for example, may have to work with a medical team that includes a dietitian, a physical therapist, the original referring doctor, nurses, and other staff members.