Becoming an oncologist is a rewarding, challenging and exciting career path. This brief guide will help you understand how to become an oncologist, as well as the requirements and qualifications needed.
What is an Oncologist?
An oncologist is a medical doctor who specializes in treating cancers. They are trained to diagnose and treat cancerous tumors, which can be done through surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The type of cancer an oncologist treats depends on their specialty; for example, breast cancer specialists are often called breast surgeons.
How Do You Become An Oncologist?
To become an oncologist, you must first complete a medical degree at an accredited university or college program. During your medical education you will learn about various aspects of medicine such as anatomy, physiology and pathology, which are all essential for understanding how diseases work in the body. You will also study clinical skills such as communication with patients and families, plus basic science topics like immunology and genetics (which can help with diagnosis). After graduating from medical school you must pass national board exams with high scores before being allowed to practice medicine independently.
How To Become And Oncologist
1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree (4 Years)
Aspiring family physicians must first complete a bachelor’s degree program in order to continue on to medical school. Traditionally, premed programs offered by nearly all major universities, but are not necessarily required to enter medical school.
Programs that emphasize science, such as biology, physics, or physiology, may also be sufficient as medical school qualifications.
However, those that are certain they want to enter this, or any other, medical profession should pursue a premed program.
The preparation timeline below offers an example premed curriculum:
| Grade Level | Example Courses |
| Freshman | Health Care SystemsBiology I & LabBiology II & LabCalculus IChemistry I & LabChemistry II & LabHumanities RequirementsElectives |
| Sophomore | Public HealthAnatomy & Physiology I & LabAnatomy & Physiology II & LabStatisticsOrganic Chemistry I & LabOrganic Chemistry II & LabBasic Skills for HealthcareNutritionHumanities RequirementsElectives |
| Junior | Healthcare CommunicationHealthcare Professional WritingGenetics & Microbiology I & LabPhysics I & LabPhysics II & LabProblems in HealthcareHealthcare ResearchBiochemistry I & LabHumanities RequirementsElectives |
| Senior | Health in the USHealth Education & PlanningHealthcare ManagementHealth PolicyRemaining Requirements & Electives |
2. Take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
To be admitted into medical school, candidates must first take the MCAT, or Medical College Admission Test, a 7.5 hour, standardized, multiple choice exam used to assess the applicant’s knowledge of science, reasoning, communication, and writing skills.
The MCAT is divided into four sections:
| Section | Section Breakdown |
| Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems | 59 multiple-choice questions95 minutesTests biology, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and biochemistry |
| Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems | 59 multiple-choice questions95 minutesTests biochemistry, biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics |
| Psychological, Social, & Biological Foundations of Behavior | 59 multiple-choice questions95 minutesTests introductory psychology, sociology, and biology |
| Critical Analysis & Reasoning Skills | 52 multiple-choice questions90 minutesTess reading comprehension, humanities, and social sciences |
You can find study materials, MCAT registration, and your test scores on the MCAT website. If you are unsatisfied with your score on any of the aforementioned exams, you are free to retake them. Depending on the school, some will average your scores and others will simply take your most recent.
3. Earn a Medical Degree (4 Years)
A list of accredited medical education programs is available through the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).
For more information and advice on successfully getting into medical school, you can check with the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Medical school consists of four years of studying the basics in science and participating in clinical “rotations.”
These are hands-on clinical experiences in real health care settings. In most med schools, the first two years are taken up with classroom studies before students are assigned to do rotations.
The current trend, however, finds a number of medical schools exposing students to early clinical experiences that continue throughout the four-year program.
Most medical schools base their curriculum on a system-based approach that focuses on one physiological system at a time, such as the respiratory system or the nervous system.
Still others may use a case-based curriculum that teaches about the human body’s normal functioning and disease processes by assigning students to following individual patient cases from start to finish. Still other med schools use a combination of these approaches to educate their students.
The most common lines of coursework among medical schools consist of the following subjects:
- Anatomy
- Biochemistry
- Ethics
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
- Psycholgy
During the last two years of schooling, students are required to obtain hands-on experience at hospitals and clinics, learning to diagnose and treat patients while working under the supervision of licensed physicians. Upon completion of four years of med school, a student is awarded a medical degree, or M.D.
Another popular trend is for schools to offer combination degree programs, such as MD/MPH, MD/PHD or MD/JD. The AAMC’s website on Medical School Admission Requirements offers more information on this option.
The preparation timeline below provides an example medical school curriculum:
| Year | Example Courses |
| 1st | Cells and TissuesMolecular Foundations of MedicineApplied BiochemistryGeneticsDisease Mechanisms & DevelopmentCardiac Life SupportThe Nervous SystemImmunologyGross Anatomy of Head & NeckMicrobiologyPulmonary SystemMicrobiology |
| 2nd | Renal/Genitourinary SystemGastrointestinal SystemSkin/Endocrine SystemsReproduction & Women’s HealthMicrobiologyBehavior & the BrainHematologySystemic DiseasesMicrobiologyClinical Clerkship |
| 3rd, 4th, 5th | Internal MedicinePediatricsSurgeryObstetrics & GynecologyFamily MedicinePsychiatryNeurologyCritical CareAmbulatory MedResearch, Reflections, and Advances in Patient Care |
4. Take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)
In order to practice medicine, aspiring geriatricians must pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).
This exam is sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME).
The exam consists of three steps:
| Step | Format & Info |
| Step 1Assesses the ability to apply scientific concepts, basic to practicing medicine, emphasizing mechanisms underlying health, disease, and therapy. | 310 multiple-choice questionsDivided into 7 60-minute blocksAdministered via computer One day session |
| Step 2Divided into 2 sub-steps: clinical knowledge (CK) & clinical skills (CS).The clinical knowledge section assesses the ability to apply medical knowledge, skills, and clinical science to patient care.The clinical skills section assesses the ability to gather information from patients, perform physical exams, and communicate findings with colleagues. | • Clinical Knowledge350 multiple-choice questionsDivided into 8 60-minute blocksOne day sessionClinical Skills12 patient cases15 minutes per patient case10 minutes to record each patient note (PN)Administered at 6 test centers in the US: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, & Philadelphia. One day session |
| Step 3Divided into 2 sub-steps:Foundations of Independent Practice(FIP) & Advanced Clinical Medicine (ACM)Foundations of Independent Practice assesses the knowledge and principles essential for effective health care.Advanced Clinical Medicine assesses the ability to apply knowledge of health and disease to the context of patient management and an evolving disease. | Foundations of Independent Practice260 multiple-choice questionsDivided into 6 60-minute blocks, each w/ 44 questionsOne day sessionAdvanced Clinical Medicine (ACM)200 multiple-choice questionsDivided into 6 45-minute blocks, each with 33 questions13 computer-based case simulations, each allotted 10 or 20 minutes One day session |
5. Complete an Internship (1 Year)
Neurologists are required to complete a 1 year basic training year prior to beginning their residency program.
These are designed to train graduates in both surgical and internal medicine rotations while preparing them for entry into their chosen specialty. Transitional programs can be found on the FREIDA online database.
6. Complete a Residency Program (3 – 4 Years)
After completing med school, you aren’t finished yet. Now it’s time to choose your specialty and complete your residency.
These residency programs are offered in conjunction with intensive clinical training experiences. Depending on the specialty, residency can last from three to eight years.
The American Medical Association’s online FREIDA service is an interactive database of over 9,400 graduate medical education programs.
These programs are all accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. There is also information on over 200 combined specialty programs.
7. Earn the Required Certification
Oncologists can become certified by passing the examination offered by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM).
To be eligible, candidates must first have completed their graduate education fellowship training, demonstrate clinical competence, and hold a valid, unrestricted medical license.
