An oncologist is a doctor who treats cancer and provides medical care for a person diagnosed with cancer. An oncologist may also be called a cancer specialist.
What Is An Oncologist’s Working Week Like?
Oncology is a very clinically focused specialty, with much of the working week spent in direct patient contact in outpatient clinics, in the radiotherapy department, and on the wards. Clinical Oncologists will spend at least one session per week in the technical planning of radiotherapy for individual patients.
What Qualiities Are Necessary For Being An Oncologist?
Teamwork is very important for both specialties and most oncologists work as part of a tumour site-specific multidisciplinary team of specialty nurses, radiographers, physicists, surgeons and other clinicians, all of whom must integrate and communicate effectively. Good communication skills are essential to patient management and team-working.
How To Apply
If you think Oncology is for you, speak to Consultants and Trainees in the specialty. General advice includes gaining a good grounding in general medicine and surgery during the Foundation Programmed, getting a place on a Core Medical Training (CMT) rotation (possibly including a placement in medical or clinical oncology or palliative medicine), undertaking clinical audit, spending some time finding out about how the cancer services work in the South Africa and passing the MRCP examination.
Career Requirements
| Degree Level | Medical Degree (MD) |
| Degree Field | Medicine or osteopathy |
| Experience | Six years of experience in residency and fellowship programs may be required |
| Licensure and Certification | All states require licensure as a physician; voluntary board certifications are also available |
| Key Skills | Communication, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills; empathy and physical stamina; familiarity with medical software, such as Centricity EMR and Misys Tiger |
| Average Annual Salary (May 2018) | R 3081258.44 (for all Physicians and Surgeons) |
Below are steps to Become An Oncologist In South Africa
Step 1: Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
To prepare for admission to medical school, a bachelor’s degree is required. Undergraduates can choose to major in any subject, but they must complete sufficient premedical courses, including organic and inorganic chemistry, physics, and biology.
Students will also need to study such topics as English and psychology.
A degree in one of the sciences may prove the most helpful in preparing for medical school. In addition, students must take and score well on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) which tests for an individual’s knowledge of biology, chemistry, physics, math, and writing.
Success Tips:
Pursue extracurricular activities. Students might choose to balance their courseload with leadership pursuits and clinical experiences to demonstrate that they have the discipline necessary to succeed in medical school.
Take an MCAT preparedness course. Although expensive at times, MCAT courses can beneficial to a student’s score as they provide tutors, online workshops, and other educational resources.
Step 2: Graduate from Medical School
Medical school generally takes four years to complete. Students can choose to earn either a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.). During the first two years, students take lecture and laboratory courses in a wide range of topics, including biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, and medical ethics.
The final two years are spent completing clinical rotations in different medical specialties, such as family practice, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, surgery, and psychiatry.
Step 3: Pass Licensing Exams
All states require that physicians be licensed before practicing medicine. Graduates with an M.D. must pass South Africa Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), while graduates of an osteopathic program must pass the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) in order to earn licensure.
Both exams consist of three parts to be taken at different stages of a physician’s training, testing basic science concepts, medical knowledge, and clinical abilities. Passing scores on parts one and two are generally required for admission to residency programs.
Success Tip:
Complete continuing education requirements. Many states require physicians to renew their licenses every two years by completing anywhere from 50-100 credit hours of continuing education. In some cases, this training must be recognized by organizations like the South African Medical Association or the South African Osteopathic Association.
Step 4: Complete a Residency in Internal Medicine
Physicians who would like to become clinical oncologists must complete at least three years of residency in an internal medicine training program. Residents complete clinical rotations in areas such as general medicine, cardiology, oncology, hematology, neurology, and intensive care. They must also attend lectures and conferences and often participate in research projects.
Step 5: Participate in a Clinical Oncology Fellowship
The final step to becoming a clinical oncologist is to complete a three-year fellowship in oncology, some of which include training in hematology. Fellowships typically combine clinical and research components. Fellows attend lectures, courses, conferences, and seminars to supplement their training.
Step 6: Earn Specialty Certifications
Clinical oncologists can improve their employment prospects by earning board certification after they complete their residency and fellowship programs.
Both the South African Board of Internal Medicine (SABIM) and the South African Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine (SAOBIM) award voluntary certifications in internal medicine to candidates who pass an exam. After earning this credential, they can also pursue specialty certifications in oncology.
Success Tip:
Renew your credentials. Both organizations require renewal of specialty certifications by either acquiring continuing education credits or completing board-administered self-assessment modules. Passing scores on a renewal exam are also required.
What qualifications do you need to be an oncologist In South Africa?
Oncologists typically need a bachelor’s degree, a degree from a medical school, which takes 4 years to complete, and, 3 to 7 years in internship and residency programs. Medical schools are highly competitive.
How many years does it take to be an oncologist In South Africa?
All oncology doctors must complete an undergraduate degree program, four years of medical school and a residency or fellowship program that usually lasts two to four years, depending on the oncology specialty.
Who is the best oncologist in South Africa?
oncologists
Dr Mh Malan Dr Mh Malan.
Dr Jde Cronje Dr Jde Cronje.
Drs Alberts Bouwer And Jordaan Drs Alberts Bouwer And Jordaan.
G V I Onkologie.
Dr Govender D Dr Govender D.
Helderberg Oncology Centre Helderberg Oncology Centre.
Prof Jp Jordaan (amo) Prof Jp Jordaan (amo)
Dr Wr Bezwoda Dr Wr Bezwoda.
How much does a medical oncologist earn in South Africa?
R2,160,491 (ZAR)/yr.
How much does it cost to become an oncologist In South Africa?
For the academic year 2020-2021, the average tuition costs of colleges offering Oncology and Cancer Biology program is R 550283.02 for undergraduate programs and R 509674.12for graduate programs.
How many years does it take to become an oncologist in South Africa?
Oncologists typically need a bachelor’s degree, a degree from a medical school, which takes 4 years to complete, and, 3 to 7 years in internship and residency programs. Medical schools are highly competitive. They also gain practical skills; learning to take medical histories, examine patients, and diagnose illnesses.
Where can you study Oncology in South Africa?
The Division of Clinical Oncology of the Stellenbosch University is one of the six existing, fully academic divisions/departments of Clinical Oncology in South Africa.
How many hours a day does an oncologist work In South Africa?
About 19% of oncologists spend 51-65 hours seeing patients, about the same percentage as in the report. Only 4% work more than 65 hours, while 16% work fewer than 30 hours. A year ago, about 6% worked more than 65 hours per week.
What do oncologists do all day?
Together, a team of oncologists guides a patient through all phases of treatment by doing the following: Explaining the diagnosis and stage of cancer. Discussing treatment options. Recommending an appropriate course of treatment.