Undergraduate Studies:
1. Bachelor's Degree:
- Typically, students start by pursuing a bachelor's degree in a related science field, such as biology, chemistry, or physics.
- This usually takes around 4 years of full-time study.
Medical School:
2. Medical Degree (MD or DO):
- After completing an undergraduate degree, aspiring oncologists must attend medical school.
- Medical school typically lasts for 4 years and covers a comprehensive range of medical subjects, including foundational science, clinical rotations, and patient care experiences.
Residency:
3. Residency in Internal Medicine:
- Following medical school, individuals who want to specialize in oncology must first complete a residency in internal medicine.
- Internal medicine residency typically lasts for 3 years and provides broad training in various areas of medicine.
4. Residency in Oncology:
- After completing internal medicine residency, individuals who want to focus specifically on oncology will pursue a fellowship in oncology.
- Oncology fellowships typically last for 3 years and provide specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Additional Training (Optional):
- Some oncologists may choose to pursue further sub-specialty training in specific areas of oncology, such as medical oncology, radiation oncology, or surgical oncology.
- This additional training can take anywhere from 1 to 2 years.
Therefore, the total duration of education and training to obtain a degree in oncology typically ranges from 11 to 14 years, including 4 years of undergraduate study, 4 years of medical school, 3 years of internal medicine residency, and 3 years of oncology fellowship. Additional sub-specialty training can extend the educational timeline further.