A study commissioned by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) projects a significant shortage of medical and gynecologic oncologists in the United States by 2020.  The study found that an aging and growing population, increasing numbers of cancer survivors, and slower growth in the supply of oncologists will result in a shortage of 2,550 to 4,080 oncologists by 2020.

Conducted by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Center for Workforce Studies, the study is the first comprehensive analysis of future supply and demand for oncologist services.  A complementary study by Richard Cooper, MD (University of Pennsylvania) models demand for oncologist services based on economic trends. His findings project a similar shortage by 2020.

In response to the study’s findings, ASCO enlisted a group of volunteer members to develop recommendations for how the Society should address the projected shortfall.  The resulting document, ASCO’s Workforce Strategic Plan, was approved by the ASCO’s Board of Directors in 2008.  The Strategic Plan called for the establishment of a standing Workforce Advisory Group. The Group is chaired by Michael Goldstein, MD (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston) and co-chaired by Dean Bajorin, MD (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York).

For additional information or to provide feedback please contact workforce@asco.org.

Workforce Strategic Plan:

Workforce Strategic Plan.  The Workforce Strategic Plan was approved by ASCO’s Board of Directors in May 2008.  

Overview of Strategic Plan.  ASCO’s Strategic Plan was featured in Future Supply of and Demand for Oncologists, an article in the November 2008 edition of the Journal of Oncology Practice. For more information, please see ASCO’s press release.

Workforce Advisory Group:

A roster of the ASCO volunteers involved in ASCO’s workforce initiatives is available for download.

Workforce Study:

Workforce Study.  The AAMC Center for Workforce Studies submitted the report, Forecasting the Supply of and Demand for Oncologists, to ASCO in March 2007.

Brief Overview of Study.  An article entitled Future Supply and Demand for Oncologists: Challenges to Assuring Access to Oncology Services was published in the Journal of Oncology Practice.

Alternate Demand Methodology.  Dr. Richard Cooper confirmed the Workforce Study’s demand principals in his economics-based model The Medical Oncology Workforce: An Economic and Demographic Assessment of the Demand for Medical Oncologists and Hematologist-Oncologists to Serve the Adult Population to the Year 2020.

ASCO Presidential Commentary.  Dr. Gabriel Hortobagyi provided commentary on the Workforce Study in an April 2007 edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology: A Shortage of Oncologists? The American Society of Clinical Oncology Workforce Study.

Workforce Study Slide Presentation.  The Workforce Study was presented at the 2007 ASCO Annual Meeting. The presentation is available for download. If you would like to alter this presentation, please contact workforce@asco.org.

External Workforce Initiatives:

IOM Workshop on Oncology Workforce.  On October 20-21, 2008 the Institute of Medicine (IOM) National Cancer Policy Forum hosted a workforce conference: Ensuring Quality Cancer Care through the Oncology Workforce: Sustaining Research and Care in the 21st Century.  Dr. Dean Bajorin and Dr. Michael Goldstein, co-chairs of ASCO’s Workforce Advisory Group, participated in the panel discussions.

ASCO Statement to Senate HELP Committee. ASCO submitted a statement to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing on health care workforce issues on February 12, 2008. Additional information on the hearing is available on the Committee's website.