Is there a shortage of oncologists?

Is there a shortage of oncologists?

These oncology professionals span across 1698 oncology practices in the United States (US). In 2014, a study from ASCO predicted that the US would reach a significant shortage in hematologists/oncologists as well as radiation oncologists by 2025. The shortage was projected to short by 2,250 oncologists.

Is oncology Nursing in demand?

At the core of that care is the oncology nurse. The job of the nurse in cancer care is now even more demanding — and in the next few years, that pressure could be compounded by a shortage of oncologists.

What would an oncologist major in?

While a degree in any discipline will help you gain admission, most aspiring oncologists gain a degree in biology, chemistry or another hard science. Many further their studies with a master’s degree. Earn a medical degree: You will then take your MCAT to gain entry to a medical school accredited by ACGME.

Is there a shortage of oncology nurses?

A severe shortage of oncology nurses has left more than 500,000 patients with little or no support, and in some cases threatened their chances of survival, according to Macmillan Cancer Support.

Is there a shortage of radiation therapists?

Employment of radiation therapists is projected to grow 9 percent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

Do oncology nurses make more money?

Do oncology nurses get paid more than other nurses? Oncology nurse jobs pay an average annual salary of $74,090, virtually the same as the median salary for all nurses at $73,300. Oncology nurse salaries can vary based on experience, certification, geographic location, specialization, and many other factors.

What is the demand for oncology services?

Demand for oncology services is expected to rise rapidly, driven by the aging and growth of the population and improvements in cancer survival rates, at the same time the oncology workforce is aging and retiring in increasing numbers. Demand is expected to rise 48% between 2005 and 2020.

Will there be a shortage of oncology services in 2020?

ASCO, policy makers, and the public have major challenges ahead of them to forestall likely shortages in the capacity to meet future demand for oncology services. A multifaceted strategy will be needed to ensure that Americans have access to oncology services in 2020, as no single action will fill the likely gap between supply and demand.

How many oncologists are there in the US?

The supply of oncologists was forecasted from 2005 through 2020 and then converted into visit capacity estimates. The baseline model was initiated in 2005 using a starting count of 10,422 oncologists derived from the AMA Masterfile of physicians and then refined based on analysis of the results of the practitioner survey ( Table 1 ).

How do you calculate demand for cancer visits?

Demand for visits was calculated by applying age-, sex-, and time-from-diagnosis-visit rate data from the National Cancer Institute’s analysis of the 1998 to 2002 Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database to the National Cancer Institute’s cancer incidence and prevalence projections.