How would you stay on top of trends and changes in the Surgical Oncology field as a fellow with our program?
Your interviewers want to know that you will fully immerse yourself in the Surgical Oncology field with passion. This includes keeping up to date on new trends and understanding the challenges the field faces, both now and in the future.
"I knew two years ago that my dream was to pursue Surgical Oncology fellowship training and a future in cancer care, so I began studying and learning as much about medical oncology and hematologic diseases at that time. I have been readying myself for this path by reading the ASCO and ASH publications and attending an SSO event last year. I'm now a member of the SSO and look forward to learning and growing as part of this society into the future."
Talk about a couple of the resources you will use to stay on top of research, news, and trends in Surgical Oncology. You might also ask the interviewers if they have any recommendations for you. This can start a conversation that will be helpful to you! Before your interview, think about this question from a Surgical Oncology standpoint, and remember you will be immersing yourself in cancer care as a whole.
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
I used to read tons of books to improve my knowledge in the surgical field; in the last couple of years I started attending congresses where I had oral presentations to make and I started using them to learn, as well as journals like Annals or JAMA Surgery and finally I was recently surprised to see how much I can discover thanks to Twitter and Linkedin.
Jaymie's Feedback
Excellent answer with various and specific examples!
Anonymous Answer
Given my decision to commit to this specialty over a year ago, I proceeded to educate myself on topics surrounding surgical oncology during my study and free time as well as any experiences I could obtain in residency. While completing 6 months of dedicated elective time I continued to read around cases I was exposed to in clinic/OR using guidelines and papers to support this. I am actively involved with memberships including the CSSO, SSO, and CAGS, and subscribe to many platforms that provide learning opportunities via email, Twitter posts, textbooks, and papers distributed. Based on my research of your program I understand there is an excellent educational lecture program included, this combined with my other approaches will allow me to thrive and stay on top of all of these trends and changes in the field.
Jaymie's Feedback
Very well done! Including multiple platforms and resources will have a strong impact in your response.
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