I got my oncology offer

Dear Friend,

This week, I’m excited to share a personal milestone—one that’s been four years in the making, ever since I began working as a doctor. I’m absolutely thrilled to announce that I’ve received my first-choice offer to start ST3 training in Clinical Oncology at University College London Hospitals (UCLH) this September.

From then on, I’ll officially be a registrar and will no longer be doing general medical shifts in A&E, ward cover, or the wide range of duties that have defined my work life over the past few years. Clinical oncology is a fascinating field that not only involves prescribing chemotherapy, but also delivering radiotherapy, including advanced techniques like external beam radiotherapy, brachytherapy, and even proton beam therapy—something you may have come across in the news.

While I am, of course, overjoyed, the overriding feeling is one of relief. This year’s application cycle was incredibly competitive, and I know many talented colleagues who were unfortunately unsuccessful. For them, this likely means a year out of training, taking on fellow posts, locum work, pursuing a master’s degree, or, heartbreakingly, considering leaving the profession altogether.

To celebrate, I had planned a fun, jam-packed weekend in London—staying in a nice hotel, a murder mystery brunch, some golf, and a Bollywood night out. But in classic post-results fashion, I’ve come down with a hefty dose of adrenaline-crash flu and have had to cancel everything. I’m now tucked up in bed, resting—perhaps my body’s way of telling me I needed a break anyway.

For me, getting into oncology isn’t just about doing the specialty I love—it’s about entering a new chapter. With five years of structured training ahead of me, I finally feel a sense of stability that I’ve been craving for so long. I can now begin thinking seriously about where I want to live, settling down, and all those “grown-up” things that once felt so far away.

To anyone currently going through the foundation years or still in medical school—if you’re feeling overwhelmed, lost, or unsure of the end goal, please know that I’ve been there too. Medicine can feel chaotic and all-consuming, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Hang in there and keep going.

Finally, for those applying to ST3 next year, I thought it might be helpful to share how I prepared both my portfolio and interview. This will be a two-part newsletter—starting this week with a breakdown of my portfolio, which earned me 42 out of 59 points.

Portfolio Breakdown – How I Scored 42/59 for ST3 Clinical Oncology

As promised, here’s Part 1 of my ST3 application breakdown—specifically, how I scored in the portfolio section, where I ended up with a total of 42 out of 59 points. Hopefully, this will give those of you applying next year a clearer idea of how to prepare and where to focus your efforts.

🧠 Full MRCP – 8/8 points

To get full marks in this section, you need to have completed both written exams and PACES. I managed to tick this off by the end of my IMT1 year, which secured me the full 8 points.

🎓 Postgraduate Degree – 0/4 points

Probably the hardest category to score in. This section awards points for additional academic qualifications—like a Master’s or PhD. I didn’t have any, so I scored 0 here.
💡 Tip: It’s a low-yield domain, and not having extra degrees won’t break your application.

🗣️ Presentations & Posters – 6/8 points

Full marks require an oncology-specific oral presentation at a national or international level. I had a non-oncology oral presentation and an oncology-related poster presentation. Either of these helped me score  6/8 points.

📚 Publications – 10/10 points

This was my strongest section. I scored full points for being first author on a PubMed-cited research publication related to oncology. ✅ Top tip: If you have even one oncology-related publication, your chances of securing an interview rise significantly.

👩‍🏫 Teaching Experience – 7/7 points

I earned full points through a 4-month teaching programme I ran in psychiatry during FY1. No need for the teaching to be oncology-specific, which makes this a good scoring opportunity.

🎓 Training in Teaching – 1/6 points

This is where I dropped marks. To score top points, you need a formal teaching qualification. 6 points = Master’s level qualification (e.g., MEd). 5 points = PGCert
I had only completed a short teaching course, which gave me just 1 point.
💡 If you’re planning a year out, consider doing a teaching qualification alongside—high value for future applications.

🔍 Quality Improvement – 6/8 points

To get full points here, you need a two-cycle, oncology-specific audit or QIP.
I completed a two-cycle audit, but it wasn’t oncology-related, so I scored 6/8.
✅ Focus on doing fewer projects, but with depth and clear outcomes. Specialty relevance matters here.

🧑‍⚖️ Leadership & Management – 4/8 points

Points are awarded based on the level and duration of the role. 8 points = National level (≥6 months). 6 points = Regional. 4 points = Local
I scored 4/8 for being the IMT representative for my hospital trust (a local leadership role).

Summary & Tips

I hope this breakdown helps those preparing for next year’s ST3 applications! Here are a few takeaways from my experience.

Publications and presentations are the biggest scoring domains—invest time here.

Quality over quantity is the name of the game—one well-run, specialty-specific audit beats multiple one-off projects.

Teaching experience is an easy win, especially if you start early in your training.

Teaching qualifications and leadership roles are great areas to invest in during time out of programme or in less hectic rotations.

Feel free to reach out if you’ve got questions or want more tips—I’d be happy to help.

My own stress (for now!) is behind me, and once I shake off this flu, I’m looking forward to a well-earned summer break.

Drug of the week

Dronedarone

This is a is a class III antiarrhythmic medication developed by Sanofi-Aventis.

Its mechanism of action is similar to amiodarone, which works by inhibition in multiple outward potassium currents including rapid delayed rectifier, slow delayed rectifier and ACh-activated inward rectifier. It is also believed to reduce inward rapid Na current and L-type Ca channels. 

The use of amiodarone is limited by toxicity due its high iodine content (pulmonary fibrosis, thyroid disease) as well as by liver disease. In dronedarone, the iodine moieties are not present, reducing toxic effects on the thyroid and other organs.

A Brain Teaser

A 32-year-old nursery teacher complains of progressive hearing loss and tinnitus over the past three months. She denies aural fullness and recent infections. The patient recalls that her mother was diagnosed with a ‘hearing problem’ in her thirties.

External examination of the ear is normal. Rinne test: bone conduction is louder than air conduction in both ears. Weber test: sound localised to the centre of the forehead.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A: Acute labyrinthitis 

B: Cholesteastoma

C: Meniere’s disease

D: Otosclerosis

E: Vestibular schwannoma