Your clinical practice will reflect the classic 65% oncology, 35% hematology case mix that defines modern community-based hematology/oncology. You will treat the full spectrum of solid tumors across all major disease sites, manage benign hematologic conditions like anemia, thrombocytopenia, and coagulation disorders, and care for select malignant hematology patients including lymphomas and chronic leukemias. Acute leukemia cases are referred to tertiary centers in Denver, Colorado or Billings, Montana, allowing you to focus on the bread-and-butter oncology and hematology that forms the foundation of sustainable, satisfying practice.
Your typical clinic day will include 12 to 14 patients, a volume that allows you to provide thoughtful, unhurried care without the burnout-inducing schedules common in many oncology practices. New consultation appointments are scheduled for one full hour, giving you time to review records, perform a thorough evaluation, discuss diagnosis and treatment options, and address the inevitable questions and fears that accompany a cancer diagnosis. Follow-up visits are scheduled for 30 minutes, providing adequate time to assess treatment response, manage side effects, and maintain the physician-patient relationship that makes oncology practice meaningful.
Unlike practices where oncologists carry heavy inpatient responsibilities, your inpatient workload at Sheridan Memorial will be consultation-based rather than admitting-focused. The hospitalist team admits and manages most patients, including those with oncologic complications, and calls you for consultation when specialized hematology/oncology input is needed. This structure means you will not be rounding on a service of 10 to 15 inpatients each morning before starting clinic. Instead, you will see occasional consultations as requested, allowing you to maintain focus on your outpatient practice where the majority of cancer care occurs.
The Welch Cancer Center operates a 9-chair infusion center staffed by three to four oncology-trained nurses at any given time. You will have the nursing support and pharmaceutical expertise needed to deliver modern chemotherapy regimens safely and effectively. The in-house oncology pharmacy provides specialized preparation and verification of chemotherapy orders, ensuring both safety and convenience for patients who might otherwise need to travel hours to receive treatment.
Radiation oncology services are available on-site through collaboration with two radiation oncologists who visit regularly from Billings. The center's Varian linear accelerator was upgraded in summer 2024, and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) capabilities allow you to offer patients sophisticated, precisely targeted radiation treatments without referral to distant centers. This integrated approach means your patients can receive their complete cancer care close to home, with you coordinating medical oncology, radiation oncology, and supportive services in one location.
Your clinical work is supported by Epic, the electronic medical record system used across all Sheridan Memorial Hospital services. This integration means seamless access to imaging, laboratory results, pathology reports, and consultation notes from other specialists. The system allows you to review patient information efficiently and communicate with colleagues across the care continuum, from emergency department visits through surgical consultations to rehabilitation services.
This clinical structure creates the conditions for sustainable, satisfying oncology practice. You will have time to know your patients, adequate nursing and pharmacy support to deliver complex treatments safely, access to radiation oncology for comprehensive cancer care, and a practice volume that allows you to maintain professional excellence without the exhaustion that drives many oncologists to early retirement.