I really want to be a nurse.

I really want to do something in oncology, but im not sure wether i want to be a nurse or a doctor? Help?

• Can someone explain to be a little about each? I really want to do something in pediatric oncology but im kind of torn between being a nurse or an actual doctor. Can someone please explain to me a little bit about both? For example, what are the roles the play and how long do you have to go to school for each of them. They both seem like very satisfactory jobs,but like I said im torn. Id be very appreciative if someone can provide some insight on both. Thank you!

• Answer:

  Good answers above - though Buster is a bit short on the residency requirement. I became board certified in medical oncology (adults) by age 30 - 13 years of education - very, very expensive now. My ex-wife is an oncology nurse - three years of training without a BS degree - just a RN degree. Much easier. As others have said - 4 years college, 4 years med school, three years residency, then 2-3 years of fellowship training in hematology / oncology to be a doctor in this field. Almost no one can do it in the USA under age 30. You must be the best of the best to be accepted into these programs as a doctor. If you cannot maintain at least a 3.5 GPA, forget getting into an American medical scool. Pediatric oncology is rough. Adult oncology was bad enough seeing so many good people die with bad diseases no matter how hard you work to save them. Watching children die - I would not do that on a daily basis. I burned out in adult oncology after 20 years. So many incurable cancer cases - mostly lung cancers caused by smoking. Best of luck to you in your career. You had better be very, very tough to do this on a long term basis. The cure ratio is higher in pediatric oncology compared to adult oncology, but losing a three year old is tougher than losing an 80 year old.