Medical Oncology is a discipline of medicine that deals with the systematic therapy of cancer inclusive of bone marrow transplantation, supportive care, targeted therapies, hormonal therapy and chemotherapy. This branch of medicine communicates the results of experimental and clinical research in hematology and oncology particularly with experimental therapeutics in the field of chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

At the current stage, medical oncology is at its budding stage, a limitation stated by many centers is the unavailability of trained medical oncologists, and even only a few hospitals have their own medical oncology department. One such hospital with medical oncology department not only for offering treatments, but also for offering Ph. D in medical oncology is the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Here are some of the details regarding the course and the institution:

Medical Oncology department in AIIMS:

Medical oncology department of AIIMS excels n research, teaching and clinical activities and right from its inception in the year 1984, the department’s work load has increased consistently. Out of the 70,000 cases registered in the Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, nearly 37,000 are dealt by AIIMS itself. The department is involved in the patient care services in different clinics inclusive of urology clinic, bone and soft tissue, ophthalmic care, lung cancer, pediatric surgery, pediatric oncology, surgery & ENT, head & neck, gastroenterology and breast. The day care centre offers of the department manages 60 patients each day and in addition patients are admitted in regular ward as well. In addition, more than 7000 patients get chemotherapy on an outpatient basis and outpatient procedures are carried out three times a week.

Education offered by medical oncology department:

The medical oncology department of AIIMS offer DM and Ph. D courses and at present 11 students are taking up DM course from the department and five students are taking up Ph. D course.

Duration of Ph. D in Medical Oncology course:

Ph. D in Medical Oncology course, begins when a candidate registers himself/herself with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences for the course and it will get completed as soon as the candidate submits the final thesis. On the other hand, the maximum period permitted by AIIMS for a candidate taking up Ph. D in medical oncology for submission of thesis is five years from the dates of registration to the course.

How are students admitted to the Doctor of Philosophy medical oncology course?

AIIMS offers admission to the Ph. D course in medical oncology to candidates, through their performance in the Ph. D admission test conducted by the institution for this purpose. Ph. D course is being offered by the institution in different subjects of which Ph. D in medical oncology is meant for candidates in MBBS followed by appropriate PG degree or diploma in the field of medicine.

Future scope for Ph. D in medical oncology holders:

As mentioned earlier medical oncologists are lesser than the actual demand in the nation and therefore candidates with Ph. D in this field of medicine can work not only as medical oncologists, but these professionals can become lecturers for medical oncology in medical universities and colleges.