Medical Training

• Oncologists must complete their four-year medical training and pass the qualifying examination before starting their residency training in oncology. In order to be admitted into a medical program, prospective students are required to pass the Medical College Admission Test or MCAT. The MCAT is used to evaluate a student's aptitude in the physical sciences, biological sciences as well as verbal and written skills. Students should also have a minimum of one year of coursework in subjects like math, general biology, physics and organic chemistry. Medical coursework includes classroom and clinical training; students take courses like anatomy and physiology, pathology, immunology and microbiology.
  
  

Residency

• After successfully completing medical school, oncology students must complete two to four years of residency training in a specialized field and internal medicine. Medical students choose their specialization from three areas of oncology: medical oncology, surgical oncology and radiation oncology. Residency training includes classroom and hands-on instruction under the supervision of licensed physicians. Residents learn how to diagnose and test cancer malignancies and recommend alternative therapeutic approaches for treating cancer. Residents work alongside physicians to treat patients and plan follow-up procedures.
  
  

Certification Plan

• The American Board of Internal Medicine must certify oncologists prior to starting their practice. Residents who successfully complete their training are required to take ABIM's certification examination. To qualify for ABIM's certification, residents must complete their training at a nationally accredited program and demonstrate their clinical competence in patient care. Residents must fulfill a minimum training of 24 months in procedures like bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, and administration of chemotherapeutic agents and biological products. Other requirements include medical knowledge, interpersonal communication skills and patient care and procedural skills.
  
  

Continuing Education

• Like all physicians, oncologists must be up-to-date on the latest developments in their field by taking continuing education courses. All internists and physicians with subspecialties must renew their license every 10 years. Oncologists can maintain their credentials by taking self-evaluation courses in medical knowledge and practice performance through the American Board of Internal Medicine. Oncologists must accrue a minimum of 100 self-evaluation points to qualify for re-certification. The courses are offered online as modules and include topics in clinical skills, medical knowledge, chronic care and communication.