Oncologists are highly trained medical doctors who treat cancer and related diseases using medication, surgery and radiation. Certified oncologists begin training by earning MD or DO degrees. They go on to complete residence training in more general areas of medicine before completing fellowships in medical, radiation or pediatric oncology. The requisite licensing boards administer exams to doctors who complete the necessary training in oncology. Once candidates for oncology certification pass these exams, they are considered "board certified." Board certification is ordinarily required for hospital admitting privileges, and primary care physicians refer patients only to properly certified oncologists.
Internal medicine certification from the American Board of Internal Medicine, which requires a three-year residency program, is necessary before a candidate can go on to pursue training and obtain certification as a medical oncologist. Radiation oncologists must complete a general residency program that can include three years of training in internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, family practice, surgery and basic radiation oncology. Pediatric oncologists need to complete a three-year residency in general pediatrics and obtain certification as general pediatricians from the American Board of Pediatrics before entering a post-graduate pediatric oncology training program .
Certification of Medical Oncologists
Medical oncology is considered a subspecialty within internal medicine, and the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) is the agency that sets the standards for oncology training programs. A candidate for certification in oncology must complete a two-year accredited training program that combines hospital practice with work in a community clinic. The program must also include 12 months of hands-on clinical training that includes administering chemotherapy as well as bone marrow aspiration. Once a state-licensed physician completes this program, she is eligible to take the ABIM medical oncology examination.
Certification of Radiation Oncologists
A physician who has completed the three-year general residency requirements as described above is eligible to begin a four-year residency program in radiation oncology. The American Board of Radiology administers exams at the end of each year of radiation oncology training. A candidate for certification can elect to take an exam each year or wait until the third year to take three exams together. Once the candidate has taken the three initial exams and completed the fourth year of training, she takes a final oral exam which she must pass for certification as a radiation oncologist.
Pediatric Oncologist Certification
The three-year training program mandated by the American Board of Pediatrics for pediatric oncologists also includes clinical practice and instruction in hematology, or treatment of blood diseases. Once a physician who is certified in pediatrics completes an accredited residency or fellowship in pediatric hematology and oncology, she is eligible to take the examination for certification in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology. Pediatric hematologist-oncologists treat blood disorders as well as cancer in children, and the examination for this specialty requires in-depth knowledge of both types of conditions.
- American Board of Internal Medicine: Medical Oncology Policies
- The American Board of Radiology: Initial Certification: Radiation Oncology
- The American Board of Pediatrics: Admission Requirements
- The American Board of Pediatrics: Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
- The American Board of Pediatrics: Content Outline: Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
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