Specialty Attractions

Medical oncology will particularly suit those with:

  • Good communication skills
     
  • Enjoyment of academic medicine
     
  • Working in a multi-disciplinary team
     
  • Commitment to the specialty including hard work, both clinically and academically.
     
  • Must have an ability to delegate and influence decisions as well as to make sound clinical judgements under difficult, emotional pressure

Although there is very considerable patient contact there is a higher academic potential and profile compared with Clinical Oncology (radiotherapy and chemotherapy). 

A recent development in high dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue has brought closely this specialty with that of Clinical Haematology.

A mixture of clinical and laboratory and academic development is encouraged in this specialty. The Cancer charities are well funded and have endowed chairs in most cities throughout the United Kingdom. There is opportunity for National and International travel to present data at meetings, etc. Consultants are important members of multi-disciplinary teams especially in the above sites.

Research & Drug Development
There is great opportunity for academic development and encouragement is given to bench/bed-side working, i.e. the possibility of developing new drugs or a novel way of using older drugs in the laboratory and then applying them in clinical research programs. Phase 1111 new drug testing program is also attractive. Most consultants in Medical Oncology are part of a large team of specialist oncologists within Cancer Centres.