Full time training takes six years, including at least three years of basic training in internal medicine and three years of advanced training in medical oncology.

It also includes theoretical training. Advanced training is made up of three years of placement in one or more of the departments approved for training in medical oncology.

The plan for the placement drawn up by the university placement coordinator must be approved by the ministerial qualification committee for the relevant specialization. These placements include duty activities.

First part

President : Martin Buysschaert
Members : L. Delaunois, A ; Ferrant, A. Geubel, Ph Hainaut, F Houssiau, JP Machiels, Y Pirson, J-L Vanoverschelde

Second part

President : Jean-Pascal Machiels
Members : Joseph Kerger (Vice-President), Jean-François Baurain, Yves Humblet, Caroline Jacquy, Max Mano, Filomena Mazzeo, a representative from the MACCS

See the general admission requirements

Specific procedures :

Candidates must have a degree as a Doctor in medicine, or a Master in medicine or as a doctor from a member state of the European Union which enables them to practise in Belgium.
They must also have a document showing that after the selection examination, they have gained a place to specialize in medical oncology in a Belgian medical faculty.

Further details of the legal requirements and the practical procedures involved in the selection examination may be obtained from the administrative office.

Holders of a degree from outside the European Union may not enrol for this programme except in the context of a university certificate in partial specialized training lasting two years (if they are studying a specialization in their home country) or advanced specialized training for a year (if they have already gained the status of specialist in their country).

The Royal Decree of 30 May 2002 on the availability of medical studies, published on 14 June 2002, applies to candidates who wish to gain professional status as specialist doctors in medical oncology. (These candidates therefore fall into the category of generalists or specialists in the restricted intake.)

Applications should be submitted to the lecturer in charge of the programme.

The organization of the selection examination is in accordance with the timetable and the general examination regulations.

Selection committee

The selection committee (MACCS) is made up of members of the programme committee together with two invited members and two coopted members.

Ouverture aux adultes

In parallel with the practical training, candidates take a course organized as follows :

Basic training

Three years, full-time, comprising :

theoretical teaching
seminars
supervised clinical training

The theoretical teaching in the first two years forms part of the special university training.

Advanced training

To familiarize candidates with all the aspects and methods of diagnosis and the correct administration of systemic cancer treatments and the management of the risks involved, three years, full-time, comprising :

theoretical teaching :

- advanced issues in Cancerology (INTR3870)
- Belgian inter-university course in medical oncology

seminars
active involvement in multidisciplinary coordination meetings including surgeons, radiotherapists, anatomopathologists, gastroenterologists, pulmonologists, radiologists, specialists in nuclear medicine, general doctors, psychologists and dieticians.
supervised clinical training
training in the design and scientific assessment of clinical trials
training in the management of medical data, recording cancers and the use of data from the cancer register

6 monthly clinical assessments: these are organized (in writing) by each candidate’s placement supervisor and focus on different areas. Assessments for all thecandidates are examined by all the placement supervisors at six-monthly meetings.

First part

At the end of the three-year basic training, each candidate is assessed at an interview designed to test their general knowledge of internal medicine. In accordance with the Royal Decree of 16 March 1999, candidates will receive an official certificate to show they have successfully completed a special university training course.

Second part

At the end of the three years of advanced training, each candidate is assessed on their in-depth knowledge of oncology. Candidates must also take the inter-university examination organized by the inter-university post-graduate training panel. They must produce a dissertation on a topic in medical oncology and publish an article.

When the above requirements have been fulfilled, the programme committee will award the academic degree of Advanced Master in Medical Oncology.

General presentation of the programme