What exactly do oncologists do?

Oncology is the study of cancer. An oncologist is a doctor who treats cancer and provides medical care for a person diagnosed with cancer.The field of oncology has three major areas: medical, surgical, and radiation. read more

To do these things your oncologist needs to use many skills including: Counsellor and advisor: your oncologist should explain your diagnosis, your prognosis and your treatment options to you and your family. Physician and carer: your oncologist will not only look after your cancer but also your needs including management of your symptoms. read more

The surgical oncolgy specialty requires a residency in general surgery (5-7 years depending on if you do research) and then a fellowship (2-3 years) in surgical oncology. If you are interested in surg onc check out the St. Jude website, they have a program that you can do in the summer after your first year of med school where you can "do" pediatric surg onc. read more