whats the information on oncology only

[TransformerInWestVirginia]

I did not match into my non-competitive field of choice. so now I want to aim big and follow my original plan of doing oncology. Only thing preventing me in the first place was the heme portion.

Can somone shed light on what oncology only fellowships are like? Where is this offered?

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[Ubba]

There are very few onc-only programs, about 6. You can find the info on FREIDA by filtering programs by specialty (Medical Oncology).

 

[gutonc]

I did not match into my non-competitive field of choice. so now I want to aim big and follow my original plan of doing oncology. Only thing preventing me in the first place was the heme portion.

Can somone shed light on what oncology only fellowships are like? Where is this offered?

Don't bother. The heme part is easy enough. Nobody will make you take the heme boards. If you're shooting for oncology only (outside of the Big Whatever places or the research pathway) you're limiting yourself to a small number of programs.

Also, if you didn't match a non-competitive fellowship of choice, what makes you think you can match a competitive one? i mean, if you didn't get GI but your CV is all GI Oncology stuff, you're probably in a good place for oncology. If you didn't match ID or nephrology, how do you feel about primary care?

 

[TransformerInWestVirginia]

well actually i am going through a confused state, turmoil. If I do decide to do heme/onc, it would be a more research role/teaching role. I love the science.
I think I just didn't give myself enough credit for going through with it ("its too competitive", "are you ready to work that hard") mixed in with a transfer of residency from california to my home state that I lost momentum.
That being said, doing hospital/clinic based IM practice sounds very appealing to me. I do like working with people and I would lose that if I pursue what I want to pursue in oncology (the research path, not a clinical one).
I am going to have to think about it, but ultimately I am also having to be realistic. Good news is that no matter what I will find a comfortable career setting, because I like general practice.

 

[dozitgetchahi]

Don't bother. The heme part is easy enough. Nobody will make you take the heme boards. If you're shooting for oncology only (outside of the Big Whatever places or the research pathway) you're limiting yourself to a small number of programs.

Also, if you didn't match a non-competitive fellowship of choice, what makes you think you can match a competitive one? i mean, if you didn't get GI but your CV is all GI Oncology stuff, you're probably in a good place for oncology. If you didn't match ID or nephrology, how do you feel about primary care?

I agree with this. I mean, if someone didn’t match the “noncompetitive” subspecialties (ID, renal), something is likely seriously wrong with the applicant as those specialties will literally take anyone with a pulse at this point (esp renal). Not matching those would probably either mean there’s a gigantic flaming red flag, or that the interview strategy was really poor (like interviewing only at a handful of the most competitive programs for both and ranking two programs or something).

I don’t see how an applicant who can’t match these could possibly match something like heme/onc, unless there’s more than meets the eye here.

 

[TransformerInWestVirginia]

dang this website can be harsh!

Well anyways, I am currently working with in person mentors to figure out an exact plan. But I appreciate the advice

@dozitgetchahi
@gutonc

 

[ChordaEpiphany]

dang this website can be harsh!

Well anyways, I am currently working with in person mentors to figure out an exact plan. But I appreciate the advice

@gutonc is on here frequently and gives harsh replies. As a current MD/PhD student considering oncology I've read a lot of advice from them, and all of it has been rock solid so far.

If I do decide to do heme/onc, it would be a more research role/teaching role. I love the science.

In my experience, if you love the science you do a PhD and leave clinical medicine. Even as an MD/PhD student with several first author papers in top tier journals, my chances of being meaningfully involved in the science as a physician are slim and require sacrifices I'm not sure I'm willing to make. The only practicing MDs I've worked with who are actually card carrying scientists fall into one of two buckets:

(1) Physician-scientist with a lab/R01 funding (the pathway to this now starts in college at the latest and requires either an MD/PhD or a research-heavy MD and specific research fellowship + extra post-doc or instructor time)

(2) Physician running large clinical trials (usually with a gold-plated resume at a dedicated cancer center and on the path to chief or already there).

If you didn't match another sub-specialty, I don't think you're on either path. You can tag along with the research if you want and publish a couple of papers yearly as 18th author for stamping your name on a grant as a 5% co-PI or clinical consultant, but usually it requires a massive pay cut for something everyone involved knows is BS. It's kind of like writing notes as an M3. If you want to teach, though, you can almost definitely do that.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

I agree with this. I mean, if someone didn’t match the “noncompetitive” subspecialties (ID, renal), something is likely seriously wrong with the applicant as those specialties will literally take anyone with a pulse at this point (esp renal). Not matching those would probably either mean there’s a gigantic flaming red flag, or that the interview strategy was really poor (like interviewing only at a handful of the most competitive programs for both and ranking two programs or something).

I don’t see how an applicant who can’t match these could possibly match something like heme/onc, unless there’s more than meets the eye here.

Agree. I know someone that applied renal but didn't submit the rank list after having a change of heart. From the programs that he interviewed and had spots open, they called him asking what happened and if he wanted the spot. That's how desperate both ID and renal are

 

[TransformerInWestVirginia]

it was neither renal nor ID. and I only applied locally.
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