(UroToday.com) The 2025 GU Oncology Early Career Thought Leaders Conference featured a work life balance session and a presentation by Dr. Alan Bryce discussing how to find your first job in genitourinary oncology. Dr. Bryce started by emphasizing that your first job sets the tone for your career and that it is always best to get it right the first time. However, according to the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), 40-50% of doctors leave their first job within two years.
Although not the end of the world, the clock is ticking on many opportunities (ie. grants, training courses, positions) that are limited based on the number of years post-graduation. Thus, it is important to judge a position on the immediate return on launching your career over the first 24 months. Since our first job shapes our network and reputation, it is important to ask the following questions:
- How much does this environment provide for networking and prestige?
- If either is lacking, is there a plan for overcoming this deficit?
- What is the track record of people hired 5 years ago?
- Will you be able to focus on your primary goals? You should be prepared to give to the greater good (citizenship is vital to long term success), but you need enough time for your core career building needs.
Additionally, it is important to be honest with yourself in terms of strengths, weaknesses, needs, limitations, and true potential, as well as understanding the type of job you desire (ie. academia, clinical practice, industry, etc). Dr. Bryce notes that the current genitourinary oncology landscape suggests that there is a high demand, with ASCO predicting a 20% shortage by the year 2030. As such, the applicant is in the driver’s seat, as there are more jobs than there are qualified applicants. He emphasizes that applicants should look at multiple jobs, even if they think they know which one they want, given that the job search is also educational. It is also important for an applicant to build their brand, which can be done in several ways:
- CV: highlight your genitourinary oncology experience
- Networking: conferences, dinners, and receptions to meet key opinion leaders
- Participating in group meetings to develop and demonstrate expertise: tumor boards, Coop Group meetings, advisory boards, etc
- Online: Having a presence on LinkedIn and X in order to be able to share your insights
Finding job opportunities can come from several avenues, including (i) job boards (ie. ASCO, AUA), (ii) mentor recommendations, and (iii) word of mouth. When offered an interview, Dr. Bryce emphasized that it is important to ace the interview. This includes adequate preparation and knowledge of the institution’s genitourinary focus. Moreover, it is important to show passion and competence, knowing what you want to do and what you are planning to do to get there. Since our work team is our second family, we want to work with talented people whom we like being around. It is also important to prioritize alignment with your institution. Typically, in any conflict between an individual and institutional goals and values, the institution (almost) always wins. Thus, it is important to choose a place that aligns with you or accept that you need change.
When negotiating a job offer, for salary and benefits, it is important to understand the industry benchmark, which is why looking at multiple jobs can be extremely valuable. Once a contract is drafted, it should be reviewed with your mentor(s), and they should help you decide what you need versus what may be nice to have as extra. Support is also important to negotiate, which may include research time, staff, and additional resources. Ultimately, Dr. Bryce emphasized that we should prioritize alignment and environment, which matter far more to success and happiness than a higher salary.
There are several red flags to be aware of when searching for the first job:
- Lack of mentorship, an unrealistic workload (ie. 60+ hour weeks), and no growth path in genitourinary oncology
- Lack of institutional commitment to genitourinary oncology: Do they prioritize genitourinary oncology or just do genitourinary oncology
- Lack of alignment to your core values
- High turnover of early career faculty (years 3-10)
Finally, with regards to work-life balance, a good first job supports your life and not just your career, and it is important to set boundaries early.
Dr. Bryce concluded his presentation discussing how to find your first job in genitourinary oncology with the following take home messages:
- Your first job is not your last, it is a step
- Our goals should be to build skills, impact patients, and grow
- The battle against cancer is a team effort. It is important to build a network, commit to the team, and win as a collective
- Be proactive – no one hands you your dream job
- Stay adaptable: oncology is evolving quickly
- Seek feedback from day one
- Remember your North Star
Presented by: Alan H. Bryce, MD, City of Hope Cancer Center, Phoenix, AZ
Written by: Zachary Klaassen, MD, MSc – Urologic Oncologist, Associate Professor of Urology, Georgia Cancer Center, Wellstar MCG Health, @zklaassen_md on Twitter during the 2025 GU Oncology Early Career Thought Leaders Conference, Philadelphia, PA, Thurs, Mar 6 – Sat, Mar 8, 2025.
