What Is an Oncologist?
Medical Procedures & SpecialtiesMedical Specialties

What Is an Oncologist?

A team of oncologists usually works together to treat cancer patients.
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Updated on August 25, 2023
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An oncologist is a doctor who specializes in treating cancer.

Because cancer treatment often involves a combination of systemic therapy (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted treatments), surgery, and radiation, people with cancer are usually treated by a team of oncologists.

This team can include medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists, notes Cancer.Net.

Types of Oncologists

Surgical Oncologists These doctors specialize in performing biopsies (in which tissue is removed to be tested for cancer) and performing surgery to remove cancerous tumors and surrounding tissue. They also perform surgery to remove cancerous tumors and surrounding tissue.

Radiation Oncologists These doctors specialize in treating cancer with radiation.

Gynecologic Oncologists These doctors focus on gynecologic cancers such as cervical and uterine cancer.

Pediatric Oncologists These doctors specialize in treating children with cancer.

Medical Oncologists These doctors treat cancer with systemic therapy, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy.

Hematologist-Oncologists These doctors specialize in cancers of the blood, such as leukemia and lymphoma.

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
  • Providing optimal care
  • Improving quality of life by providing pain and symptom management

Oncologist Training and Education

Oncologists must receive a bachelor’s degree, then complete four years of medical school to become a doctor of medicine (MD) or doctor of osteopathy (DO).

After graduating from medical school, they must complete postgraduate medical education through internships and a residency program in internal medicine, which is typically another three years of paid work under supervision, per the American College of Physicians.

Then, for two to three additional years, they are broadly trained in all areas of oncology as a fellow.

Some oncologists go on to study a specific type of cancer, such as breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, leukemia, or lymphoma.

All medical doctors in the United States are required to be licensed in all states.

This means they must graduate from an accredited medical school and pass several stages of the United States Medical Licensing Examination, notes the American Medical Association.

Where Do Oncologists Work?

The most common places oncologists work include, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, include:

  • Doctors’ offices
  • General medical and surgical hospitals
  • Federal agencies (National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, etc.)
  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools
  • Outpatient care centers
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Conor Steuer, MD

Medical Reviewer
Castle Connolly Top Doctor

Conor E. Steuer, MD, is medical oncologist specializing in the care of aerodigestive cancers, mesothelioma, and thymic malignancies and an assistant professor in the department of hematology and medical oncology at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. He joined the clinical staff at Emory's Winship Cancer Institute as a practicing physician in July 2015. He currently serves as chair of the Lung and Aerodigestive Malignancies Working Group and is a member of the Discovery and Developmental Therapeutics Research Program at Winship.

Dr. Steuer received his medical degree from the New York University School of Medicine in 2009. He completed his postdoctoral training as a fellow in the department of hematology and medical oncology at the Emory University School of Medicine, where he was chief fellow in his final year.

He has been active in research including in clinical trial development, database analyses, and investigation of molecular biomarkers. He is interested in investigating the molecular biology and genomics of thoracic and head and neck tumors in order to be able to further the care of these patient populations. Additionally, he has taken an interest in utilizing national databases to perform clinical outcomes research, as well as further investigate rare forms of thoracic cancers.

Steuer's work has been published in many leading journals, such as Cancer, the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, and Lung Cancer, and has been presented at multiple international conferences.

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Cathy Cassata

Cathy Cassata

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Cathy Cassata is a freelance writer who specializes in stories about health, mental health, medical news, and inspirational people. She writes with empathy and accuracy, and has a knack for connecting with readers in an insightful and engaging way. Cassata contributes to Healthline, Verywell, Yahoo, and more.

She previously worked for the American Association of Medical Assistants for eight years, writing and editing the magazine, marketing materials, and the website. Cassata completed the editing certificate program at the University of Chicago.

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