How to become a paediatric neuro-oncologist?

[ilovepita]

I'm interested in the field of pediatrics neuro-oncology and I was wondering what do I have to do to become one? I'm currently in the process of applying to med school and I was wondering what residency do paediatrics neuro-oncologists need to finish?

[Snowmen]

I'm guessing one would complete a pediatric oncology (subspecialty training after doing a pediatric residency), pediatric neurology or neurosurgery residency and then complete a pediatric oncology fellowship.

Now, I don't want to sound pessimistic, but usually people don't "choose" to work in these very, very narrow fields. Rather, you usually do your residency, find a job and then complete the fellowships required to do that job. For instance, you're completing a neurosurgery residency and a pediatric neurosurgeon at your hospital is planning on retiring. You would then be offered the job and would do a pediatric neurosurgery fellowship and your now former colleague would retire once you're ready to take over.

[PulsusParadoxus]

I believe it would follow closely to how one becomes sub-specialized in adult oncology (IM residency,  match to medical oncology through CaRMS Medicine sub-specialty match, then pursue a fellowship in your oncology area of choice (GI, GU, Neuro, etc...) 

You would match into a pediatrics in the CaRMS R-1 match, match to pediatric oncology through the CaRMS pediatric Subspecialty match, and then do a further fellowship in neuro-oncology.

[Bambi]

Keep an open mind during Med school and clerkship. There was a field I wanted since childhood. I am in an entirely different field which only attracted my attention a week before the deadline for applying to residency. I love my surgical specialty and could never have guessed even at the beginning of my fourth year in Med school that I would be where I am. It is far too early in the game.

[rmorelan]

2 hours ago, Snowmen said:

I'm guessing one would complete a pediatric oncology (subspecialty training after doing a pediatric residency), pediatric neurology or neurosurgery residency and then complete a pediatric oncology fellowship.

Now, I don't want to sound pessimistic, but usually people don't "choose" to work in these very, very narrow fields. Rather, you usually do your residency, find a job and then complete the fellowships required to do that job. For instance, you're completing a neurosurgery residency and a pediatric neurosurgeon at your hospital is planning on retiring. You would then be offered the job and would do a pediatric neurosurgery fellowship and your now former colleague would retire once you're ready to take over.

That is the route as I understand it 

You can take a subspecialty training area in paediatrics out of interest as well and if you are free to move around find a job with effort that way as well. Not risk free but since you have the core paediatric residency to fall back on you have some protection. Ha, I will say it is easier if you have a job pretty much lined up.

[rmorelan]

2 hours ago, Bambi said:

Keep an open mind during Med school and clerkship. There was a field I wanted since childhood. I am in an entirely different field which only attract+ted my attention a week before the deadline for applying to residency. I love my surgical specialty and could never have guessed even at the begging of my fourth ur in Med school that I would be where I am. It is far too early in the game.

Definitely while you may have some particular reason for wanting a particular field it really is hard to say if that really is a good match until you have exposure to it. At my medical school re our surveys 70% of the students made up their mind as their end field only after most of the way through clerkship. Until then they just didn't really understand fully what the job was. That is normal and ok (although unfortunately the entire CARMS and interview system don't exactly make those sorts of adjustments easy etc).