How to hire a freelance oncology researcher

Natasha Beeton, freelance scientific writer on Kolabtree, provides a quick guide on how to hire an  oncology researcher, how much it costs, and tips for working with a freelancer.

Oncologists are in increasing demand as the prevalence of cancer keeps rising, which is mainly due to people living longer than ever before. Oncology is a particularly dynamic and challenging field, requiring these specialists to constantly remain current with the latest advances in their field.

What does an oncology expert do?

Oncologists are doctors who are experts in cancer. These physicians study, diagnose, and treat cancer and provide cancer patients with medical care that is tailored to each patient’s needs.

There are various types of oncology experts, each with a different role in the care of cancer patients:

• Clinical Oncologist (also called Radiation Oncologist): Focuses on the non-surgical management of cancer, treating those with curable disease or those with metastatic malignant disease who are receiving palliative treatments. These specialists use radiotherapy, as well as systemic therapies such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy (biologics).
• Medical Oncologist: Similar to a clinical oncologist, except these specialists focus on systemic therapies.
• Surgical Oncologist: These are surgeons who perform biopsies to help diagnose cancer and use surgical procedures to remove tumors.
• Gynecologic Oncologist: Treats cancer of the female reproductive system, such as uterine, ovarian, and cervical cancer.
• Pediatric Oncologist: Treats cancer in children. These professionals are specialists in the types of cancer that occur more frequently in younger patients, such as leukemia.
• Hematologist-Oncologist: Diagnoses and treats blood cancers, namely leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.
• Oncology Nurse: These specialist nurses play a key role in helping patients navigate their treatment protocols and manage their symptoms and side effects. They provide a consistent point of contact and source of information among the many different professionals that patients see along their treatment journey.

The various duties that oncology experts perform can include:

• Consulting with patients in outpatient clinics, the radiotherapy department, and on the hospital wards
• Discussing cancer diagnosis and staging with patients
• Discussing treatment options with patients
• Performing regular follow-up consultations with patients
• Technical planning of radiotherapy for individual patients
• Performing surgery or biopsies
• Oncology scientists contribute to cancer research through clinical trials or translational studies
• Working as part of a multidisciplinary team to manage patient care (e.g., oncology nurses, radiographers, physicists, pathologists, surgeons, perinatologists,and social workers)
• Helping patients manage the symptoms of cancer and the side effects of cancer treatments
• Working at universities and research institutions, where they research various aspects of cancer and conduct clinical trials of new cancer treatments
• Lecturing and training of medical students, residents, and other staff
• Acting as oncology consultants, e.g., for the design of clinical trials, drug development, and the planning of new cancer facilities

Oncologists are MDs who complete medical school, a residency in internal medicine, and anoncology fellowship that can last between 2 to 5 years depending on their chosen specialty and the region they are training in. Oncologists are also often required to be board certified in their specialty.

Oncology experts generally work at hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities; universities and colleges; research institutions; in private practice;for oncology contract research organizations (CROs);and for medical consulting and oncology management consulting agencies.

The job titles of oncology experts vary according to the nature of their roles and specializations. These include Clinical Oncologist, Radiation Oncologist, Surgical Oncologist, etc., or their titles reflect their academic role if they are researchers, such as Postdoctoral Fellow, Principal Scientist, Molecular Oncologist, and Group Leader. Some medical writers specialize in writing on oncology topics, whether for the media, research institutes, pharmaceutical companies, or government. Others specialize in oncology paper editing for publication in medical journals. 

How much does it cost to hire a freelance oncology consultant?

Oncologists are among the highest-paid physicians, with an average annual salary in the US of around 260,000 USD, with salaries ranging from around 120,000 USD up to 500,000 USD. To hire a freelance oncology consultant, the fee would, therefore, generally range from 100−250 USD per hour depending on the background and experience required. For example, a medical oncologist would typically charge less than a radiation oncologist.

The hourly fee can be negotiated upfront or a flat fee can be discussed for projects of a defined scope and duration. Kolabtree offers a convenient way to connect with the top oncology professionals who provide consulting services.

Tips to write a job post to hire a freelance oncology researcher

To attract the best Kolabtree oncology researcher, ensure that your project description is informative and the scope is well defined. You will need to provide information on the following:

• Skills required (e.g.,experience in the research and use of biologics for cancer treatment)
• What the project area is (e.g.,pediatric oncology)
• What the project entails (e.g.,consulting regarding the latest oncology research on new biologics for the treatment of pediatric cancers)
• What the deliverables are (be specific about what you need the outputs to be)
• Duration of the project (provide an estimate of how many hours work you will need per week/by when you need the project to be completed)
• By when you need to hire (having more leeway on this will give you more time to choose the best expert for your needs)
• Your budget (per hour or fixed fee)

If you are unsure what exactly is required, providing as much detail as possible will allow an oncology researcher to still make an informed bid for your project and suggest the best routes forward.

Need help with your oncology research paper or clinical trials? Get in touch with qualified scientists on Kolabtree. View oncology researchers now or post your project for free and get quotes.

Related skills

Biologics   Cancer    Cancer Research   Clinical Trials   Drug Development   Health & Medicine (General)   Healthcare Consulting   Managed Healthcare   Medical Sciences   Medical Writing   Molecular Biology   Oncology   Pharmaceutical Industry   Radiation Oncology   Research & Development