Oncologists are medical doctors, and therefore they need to go to medical school and obtain a medical degree. After getting a medical degree, an oncologist continues his medical training by entering a training program geared toward oncology. These programs first concentrate on an oncology specialty and then progress to a subspecialty.
Because there are so many different kinds of cancers, oncologists can get very specific in terms of what kind of oncology work they wish to do. For instance, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology and oncologychannel.com, oncologists may be trained in gynecological oncology, medical oncology, medical oncology and hematology, radiation oncology, surgical oncology or urologic oncology.
As an oncologist works through medical school and an oncology program, she will complete a medical degree, internship or residency program and a fellowship. Most oncologists are able to complete a medical degree in five to eight years, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Internships and residency programs may last one to three years, while fellowships usually last one to two.
Because the work defined by oncology specialties and subspecialties can be quite different, the American Society for Clinical Oncology has different application guidelines for every specialty and subspecialty. Oncologists who plan to specialize should review these guidelines prior to finishing medical school so that they are prepared to apply and continue training once they've obtained their medical degree.
There are dozens of accredited training programs for oncology in the United States. The American Society of Clinical Oncology lists all of these programs on its website, which allows an individual to click on programs by title and to search for specific programs based on sponsoring institution, specialty, city or state. This allows an oncologist to identify and contact the oncology programs that are best suited to his needs.
In medical school, an oncologist will take basic classes like math, biology, chemistry, physiology, medical terminology and medical ethics. They complete clinical, hands-on work in the last two years of medical school. Once they enter an oncology program, they take courses specific to oncology such as cancer fallacies, cell cycle, exposure history and hospice care.
Because oncologists are doctors, they have to be licensed in their state to practice, which requires passing a licensure exam. Oncologists also have to pass tests for certification in both their specialty and subspecialty.