Education

• After college, future oncologists attend four years of medical school. Then they enter a two- to three-year residency to study cancer treatment.
  
  

Types

• Different types of oncologists include medical oncology, which uses chemotherapy treatment; surgical oncology, which uses surgery to remove tumors; and radiation oncology, which uses therapeutic radiation treatment.
  
  

Specialties

• Other oncology specialties include pediatric oncology and gynecological oncology. Oncologists can also specialize in treatment of lungs, prostate, melanoma and other cancers.
  
  

Salary

• Oncologist's salaries average between $200,000 and $335,000 per year. The highest-paid oncologists earn around $685,000 each year.
  
  

Certification

• After medical school and residency, oncologists take an exam to be certified by a medical specialty board. Oncologists must be certified in a field such as internal medicine or pediatrics, as well as a sub-specialty such as medical oncology.