I am trying to find a good fit medical school. I am applying this summer. Most of my experiences and what I ultimately want to do is in Pediatric oncology. Which med schools are great for pediatric oncology?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Where is the best place for pediatric oncology?
- Thread starter MIB6234
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2005
- Messages
- 788
- Reaction score
- 16
Pediatric Oncology is a subspecialty of pediatrics. More specifically, Hematology/Oncology is a 3 year fellowship that you would complete after 3 years of a general pediatric residency.
If you are in the process of applying to medical school, then you may benefit from attending a school that allows you to rotate through a pediatric oncology center such as The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, where you have the ability to spend time at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (one of the best, if not THE best hospitals for the treatment of pediatric cancers). May be a little biased since this is my current school, but St. Jude is a great place nonetheless and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to work there as a student.
Other than that, your main focus at this point would just be getting into a school that you like and making sure pediatrics is the specialty for you. Then afterwards, you can apply to a number of great pediatric residencies and research which institutions have the best oncology centers.
Good luck
If you are in the process of applying to medical school, then you may benefit from attending a school that allows you to rotate through a pediatric oncology center such as The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, where you have the ability to spend time at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (one of the best, if not THE best hospitals for the treatment of pediatric cancers). May be a little biased since this is my current school, but St. Jude is a great place nonetheless and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to work there as a student.
Other than that, your main focus at this point would just be getting into a school that you like and making sure pediatrics is the specialty for you. Then afterwards, you can apply to a number of great pediatric residencies and research which institutions have the best oncology centers.
Good luck
Thanks, I was looking for schools like that maybe attached to or near by pediatrics centers that specialize in oncology to do rotations.
It is funny you should mention St. Jude. I am biased too. I worked there last summer and am going back this summer. It is truly amazing.
It is funny you should mention St. Jude. I am biased too. I worked there last summer and am going back this summer. It is truly amazing.
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2002
- Messages
- 5,120
- Reaction score
- 1,792
I know you won't believe me, but it really doesn't matter where in the US you go to med school. At the med school level you'll get an (about) two month core rotation in pediatrics which will include very little heme/onc if any. You will have the opportunity to do an elective rotation though in heme/onc and you can readily leave your home institution if you don't think they have "great" oncology. Go to med school where other factors (money, money, family, personal fit, etc) are right. Nice to go where they have a reasonably sized pediatric program, but ultimately even that won't matter very much. Good luck. Keep in mind that lots of folks start med school wanted to treat pediatric cancer and change their minds. Might or might not be you, but keep an open mind throughout.
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2003
- Messages
- 150
- Reaction score
- 0
As a current med student at a state school who went to state school for undergrad as well, two thumbs up 👍 👍
A lot of students get obsessed with names but as you'll see when you get to med school, you will be surrounded by classmates from every tier of school you can imagine and the same will be true when you get to residency. The other med school in town in private and tuition is twice as much and at the end of the day (or M4 as it were) you will only be able to tell us apart by the amount of debt we carry (and we are a more attractive bunch IMHO). Go where you will be happy and where you can save money, don't worry about the name or tier!
Thanks, I am surprised that it doesn't matter. I really don't care about high tier or a highly known school name. I was just thinking that certain med schools might be better at funneling interested students towards one specialty or another.
I am interested in pediatrics, but it is a good reminder to me to keep an open mind.
I am interested in pediatrics, but it is a good reminder to me to keep an open mind.
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2004
- Messages
- 712
- Reaction score
- 12
👍 As someone who went the expensive private school road, think twice about it. I truly think I would have had an equal education at a US state school for half to a third of the price.
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2002
- Messages
- 5,120
- Reaction score
- 1,792
Well, I agree that your avatar is extremely cute (although afraid of something?). But, let's not be dissing the fuglies down the street now....at least without providing evidence 😛
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2002
- Messages
- 5,120
- Reaction score
- 1,792
This issue gets beaten to death weekly in pre-allo.
Bottom line is that the effect is tiny. Even if you go to a school with a small pedi program you can do an elective or two at the big name places. This should be a negligible factor in picking med schools compared to the other issues. I have no idea if this is true if you want to be a neuro/plastic/derm surgeon (it probably is). But, I don't really care, this is the pedi forum!😀
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2003
- Messages
- 150
- Reaction score
- 0
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2002
- Messages
- 8,642
- Reaction score
- 12
What OBP and others said.
The name of your med school won't matter much. Your third year you will do 2 months of peds that may or may not include heme/onc, and then your fourth year you can do an AI at almost any program in the country in h/o. Bear in mind you don't have to go to a school with a h/o residency to get into a h/o fellowship. Also please remember that it's okay to go into med school thinking you want to do one thing, and come out with entirely different plans!
The name of your med school won't matter much. Your third year you will do 2 months of peds that may or may not include heme/onc, and then your fourth year you can do an AI at almost any program in the country in h/o. Bear in mind you don't have to go to a school with a h/o residency to get into a h/o fellowship. Also please remember that it's okay to go into med school thinking you want to do one thing, and come out with entirely different plans!
