4 workload realities oncologists under 40 are facing right now

If you’re under 40 and an oncologist, you’re a rarity, and you’re under pressure. 

Just 14.5% of oncologists are aged 40 and below, with the median age of oncologists being 53.^[]

A career-spanning problem

Burnout among oncologists is reaching new heights, and research suggests it has high prevalence among early-career oncologists. 

“Data published by ASCO in 2025 shows that nearly 60% of US oncologists report professional burnout, driving many to consider reducing clinical hours or leaving practice entirely.  This data signals an urgent need for systemic change,” Manali Patel, MD, MPH, associate professor in the Division of Oncology at Stanford and a member of ASCO, tells MDLinx. “Addressing burnout among oncologists requires a shift from focusing on clinician resilience to addressing the systemic issues that are the underlying etiologies," she says.

Workflow shifts following new FDA approvals

FDA approvals of new medications can represent exciting strides forward in the field of oncology, but also pose challenges for oncologists. 

In March, the FDA approved teclistamab plus daratumumab for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.^[]

This could pose challenges for changes in the workflow of oncologists. 

“The updated approval for teclistamab (in combination with daratumumab) has been an amazing step forward for the field. BCMA-targeted bispecific antibodies come with unique safety-related challenges, most notably the risk of CRS with the first cycle and the cumulative risk of serious infections with each cycle,” Rahul Banerjee, MD, a multiple myeloma expert at Fred Hutch Cancer Center and an associate professor at UW Medicine, tells MDLinx. 

“Because of this risk of CRS, there are significant hurdles for smaller oncology practices to start offering bispecific antibodies: both logistical workflows around managing CRS after hours as well as regulatory challenges with REMS certification," says Dr. Banerjee. "For those working in an outpatient setting, this may pose unique challenges.”

This also provides challenges unique to those working in outpatient facilities. 

“CRS and ICANS associated with CAR-T tends to be more severe than the toxicity with teclistamab, so centers that provide this therapy will already have familiarity. The challenge is more related to infusions in the outpatient setting, which require creating the infrastructure to address adverse events that occur outside of operating hours. This requires a hospital-wide effort to identify, triage, and quickly admit patients who require management of ICANS and CRS, which can potentially be life threatening,” Andrew Bresnahan, vice president of Oncology Services and Cell and Gene Therapy at UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, tells MDLinx. 

Inheriting patients from retiring oncologists 

One in five oncologists is aged 65 and older, and when they retire, their patient loads are often passed down to early- or mid-career oncologists.^[]

This poses a challenge. 

“Inheriting a patient with a complex diagnosis or treatment plan means inheriting an immense web of administrative and downstream tasks that extend outside the clinic exam room,” Dr. Patel said. “Many of these patients may require tumor board reviews, prior authorization hurdles, and a high volume of EHR [electronic health record] portal messages as well as coordination of complex care across disciplines and specialties. The clinical care system needs to provide dedicated administrative infrastructure to help streamline this hidden workload such that high quality care can be seamlessly delivered to patients without negative impact to the clinicians who are assuming their care.” 

AI adoption

Ambient AI scribes are rolling out across the country, and this poses both challenges and opportunities for oncologists. 

“While electronic health records configurations and ambient AI tools can help summarize complex histories, they must include rigorous safeguards to ensure they accurately capture a patient's distinct personal values and treatment history rather than just raw data,” Dr. Patel said. 

But physicians note AI tools like ambient scribes can help improve physician workflow as well as burnout. 

“Anecdotally, I continue to hear from ASCO members and colleagues that these tools

give them back time that enables them to return to more humanistic patient interactions.

They describe spending more time face-to-face with patients and less time creating notes,” Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FASCO, FACP,  Chief Executive Officer of ASCO, tells MDLinx. 

“Restoring and supporting direct patient connection—the reason many of us chose medicine in the first place—is deeply rewarding and a partial solution to the feeling of burnout. In this case, technology is transformed from just another administrative burden into a productivity tool that truly assists physicians and enables the kind of care we all want to deliver and receive.”