Why do you practice oncology?
I decided to work in healthcare, because there’s nothing better than working in an environment where you can get that instant gratification from making a difference in people’s lives. It’s also quite rewarding and satisfying to have that privilege to care for people. I decided to care for cancer patients, because it's where I belong. When I was a medical student, on the first day of my hematology/oncology rotation, I knew where my medical career would lead. I was amazed by the true connection between the patient and the physician during such a challenging time in the patient’s life. My patients taught me so much about life, love, family, friendship, perseverance, gratitude and even things about me and my ability that I didn’t even know existed.
The second reason for me to choose a career in this field is, because it is rewarding and beneficial to society. Undoubtedly, this is a very challenging and exciting time for hematology and oncology. New and improving technology and data are coming out constantly. As a hematologist/oncologist and a bone marrow transplanter, I rapidly have to adapt, adjust and merge new science with humanism to help people. It’s already an incredibly exciting time in cancer treatment. A cancer diagnosis may no longer be a death sentence. In my lifetime, I hope to see that there will be a cure for most cancers, people all over the country will receive similarly high levels of care, and that they will still have a quality of life once they’re in remission.
