Medical Oncology is a rapidly evolving subspecialty of medicine with new and emerging treatments that can greatly improve patient outcomes. It’s also intellectually stimulating and emotionally rewarding. I enjoy the day-to-day interactions with my patients, and being the person to support them through some of their most vulnerable times in life. This is truly a subspecialty that combines the art and science of medicine where I see myself potentially making a difference in both an individual patient’s life, and cancer care on a population level.
During my two years of subspecialty training I have met amazing mentors and colleagues. The food, wine and restaurant explorations we had were definitely some of the main highlights. This included many delicious Lee’s Donuts and Vietnamese subs from our mentors. Also, I received my first personal thank you card from a longitudinal clinic patient!
Trust me, despite how hard it feels initially when transitioning from an internal medicine residency to a medical oncology subspecialty, it’s worth it and you’ll find your way. Talk to different people and have multiple mentors. There’s never the “perfect path,” but knowing what you want while allowing some flexibility and being adaptable will be important in achieving your career goals.
I will be working as a staff medical oncologist at BC Cancer – Surrey starting this summer. I’m excited to start working after 13 years of training! Of course, our Royal College exam is in September so I’ll need to study for that too.