Oncology Vs. Surgery

[HEME-ONC]

I am at a crossroads and trying to decide between a IM residency and fellowship in oncology or a five year surgical residency.

I have always loved oncology and dont know the pros and cons of both programs.

Can anyone share some insight on these two career paths for me.

I must say that patient contact is a big thing for me.



thanks
Heme-ONC

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[DOPhD student]

Hi,

Surgery and IM/oncology are completely different fields, and in the end you will have to decide which you enjoy more: performing procedures or basically being an internist for cancer patients. A medical oncologist don't do many procedures. He basically plans the course of chemotherapy for cancer patients and coordinates radiation therapy treatment with a radiation oncologist. On the other hand, a surgeon's work can be pretty monotonous, performing the same or similar procedures all day long. From personal experience, I enjoyed my heme/onc electives a whole lot more than my core surgery so for me, I can't imagine myself being a surgeon so I'm pretty much set on becoming an oncologist. I guess you will have to make that choice for yourself.

DO, PhD, PGY-1

 

[task]

Medical Oncologists are the doctors a cancer patient usually refers to when they say "my Oncologist". This should give you some indication as to which of the different fields in Oncology -- Medical, Surgical, or Radiation, has optimal patient contact.

Not that the other don't, but it's the Heme-Onc doc most known in this role.

Also, as a heme-onc, you can do bone marrow transplant BMT if you obtain such training in fellowship. But this is not a procedural specialty, if that is important to you.