Inside the Oncology Job Search: Advice from a New Heme-Onc

Hematology-Oncology is a field that has long been characterized by innovation, research and technology, but today it is also known for its challenges, including an acute workforce shortage and the financial strain of treating a growing cancer patient population.

At Provider Solutions & Development (PS&D), we recruit for Oncology physician and advanced practice provider roles across the country, including those at two of the largest cancer centers in the Pacific Northwest, the Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle, and the Providence Cancer Institute of Oregon.

One of our recent hires is Dr. Brett Schroeder, a Hematologist-Oncologist who will work at Swedish after he completes his fellowship at the National Institute of Health near Washington, D.C.

We had an opportunity to interview Dr. Schroeder as well as PS&D Senior Recruiter Matt Faber, who helped hire him. In this conversation, they provide valuable insights about the job search journey, discuss top issues facing Oncologists today and share what excites them about the future of Oncology.

PS&D: Can you tell us about your path to becoming a Hematologist-Oncologist?

Dr. Schroeder: I did my bachelor’s and master’s at the University of Michigan. Two close friends, Dave and Joe Sabey, who are active in the science world, encouraged me to check out Seattle. With their help, I got a job in the lab of Greg Foltz, an inspiring neurosurgeon at the Swedish Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment. He was doing glioblastoma research, and I worked in his lab for several years. That’s where I first got interested in cell therapy. CAR T-cell therapy was just emerging, and we started developing a cell-based vaccine for brain cancer. Being in that environment made me realize I wanted to be more involved in patient care, not just lab work. That experience really shaped the direction I ended up taking.

PS&D: What was it specifically about Hematology-Oncology that drew you in?

Dr. Schroeder: What drew me in was cell therapy. It uses your own immune system to fight cancer. The immune system is the most powerful army we have and sometimes it just needs a little help, a bit of a tweak here and there. Cell therapy really took off in blood cancers and that is what led me to Hematology-Oncology. But I hope to expand its use beyond blood cancers. During my training at the National Cancer Center (part of the NIH), I worked on applying cell therapy to solid tumors. I see a lot of potential in treating autoimmune diseases like lupus and neurologic conditions like multiple sclerosis. Swedish is already leading some of this work, and I’m excited to support efforts that keep Swedish at the forefront of innovation and bring new, effective treatment options to patients.

PS&D: Can you and Matt talk a little bit about how that physician-recruiter relationship went? How did Matt help you through this transition?

Dr. Schroeder: It was a lot of simple things, but they really mattered. From the first conversation with Matt, I felt like I was really listened to, which honestly stood out. Then, once I reached the site visit stage, LeLe Vuong on the PS&D team was incredible. Other places were asking me to come out for three or four days, and I’d explain that we had just had a baby, and I couldn’t be away that long. They’d still come back with multi-day schedules. But LeLe really listened. She arranged everything so I could fly in late, interview first thing the next morning, and be home by that evening. That made a big difference. It showed me that PS&D cared not just about me, but about my family too. From Matt’s support through the whole process to LeLe’s thoughtful coordination, it was an outstanding experience.

PS&D: That's great to hear. When you think about some of the aspects of the job search process, are there any that are unique for Hematology-Oncology?

Dr. Schroeder: In Heme-Onc, there’s this dual identity. You’re expected to be a strong clinician, but there’s often also an interest in what you bring to the research side — or at least in how well you understand the bridge between research and clinical care. That’s part of what makes the job search a bit more complex. You’re not just looking at salary or clinic space. You’re thinking about whether there’s protected time for research or innovation, and whether there’s solid clinical trial infrastructure in place. That matters, because if you’re going to enroll patients and get them to treatment efficiently, those systems need to be there. And in a field that intersects with both science and patient care, being able to speak both languages is important.

PS&D: Were there any factors that were non-negotiable for you when you were looking at what position you were going to take?

Dr. Schroeder: Location was the biggest non-negotiable. We knew we wanted to be in Seattle. My wife is a violinist in the Seattle Symphony and her career is very important. She is more talented than I am. We just had our first baby, and we have family there. It was really important to us that our daughter grow up with her cousins. Seattle is our home. I was also looking for a place that values collaboration. Whether it’s working with someone in biology, someone with strong computational skills, or anyone who can help move clinical trials forward, I wanted to be in a setting that supports that kind of teamwork. Seattle has amazing resources like the Institute for Systems Biology, which brings enormous computational power to human health, and the Allen Institute, which is doing cutting-edge work in basic and computational science. Both bring opportunities to help turn scientific discovery into better treatments for patients. Swedish felt like the kind of place where that spirit of innovation is already happening, and I wanted to be a part of it, to help it grow.

PS&D: As you think back on your interview process, were there certain questions you asked that were helpful in getting a full picture of the role?

Dr. Schroeder: That’s a tough one. You want to be informed and not walk into any surprises after you have already signed. A lot of places talk about physician well-being and burnout, but sometimes it can feel like buzzwords. What stood out to me at Swedish was that everyone was upfront and honest. Nobody tried to oversell the role or pretend it would be easy. I always felt like I had a clear picture of what I was walking into. One example was when I shared a concern with the clinical director. I said, to be honest, I was nervous about starting as an attending. During training, you always have a safety net, someone more senior to check in with on tough cases. But when I start my new job in September, that safety net will be gone. I will be the one making the decisions. She understood completely and explained how they help new physicians transition. What really reassured me was that she connected me with someone they had hired just six months earlier. That physician confirmed what she said, that Swedish takes that part seriously and really supports you in those early months. That meant a lot.

PS&D: That's great advice to the job seeker, who may be wondering, ‘Can I really ask about my honest concerns in my interview?’ Speaking of the interview process, how did you prepare for your Heme-Onc interviews?

Dr. Schroeder: In the itinerary, I was given a list of people I’d be interviewing with. I tried to read or learn as much about them as possible and just get a sense of who they are as people. I think the biggest difference in your day-to-day experience is the people you're around, your colleagues, you know, do they seem supportive? So I just tried to learn about them. Where did they go to school, where did they grow up? Maybe we lived in the same state for a time, or maybe there’s a really good place that I like to go to have beer in northern Oregon and they used to live there, you know, stuff like that, just so I could relate to them and build some rapport and a connection with them.

PS&D: What advice would you give to a current Hematology-Oncology fellow who is just beginning their job search?

Dr. Schroeder: Start early. The process takes longer than you expect because there are a lot of steps and people to talk to. Be honest with yourself. You are the only one who knows what you want, not just in a job but in the kind of life and career you hope to build. Think about what matters to you, both professionally and personally, and make sure those things are in place. Ask the questions that are important to you. This is your life and your career. Do not be afraid to walk away from something that does not feel right. One of my mentors told me that, and it helped a lot. I spoke with some very respected people during my search, but when it did not feel like a good match, I moved on. I am glad I did.

PS&D: Matt, you talk to a lot of Heme-Oncs. How would you answer that question?

Matt Faber: I mean, Dr. Schroeder said it earlier when he talked about honesty and just being upfront. He was very honest about what he was looking for. He was very transparent, which made it easy for me to understand that this would be a good fit. And I think it’s great advice to start early. If you're going to get the better jobs, I think a lot of times these fellows and residents that get out there and say, ‘I'm not ready until 2026, but I'm looking right now, because I want to be sure that I find what I want.’ Those are the candidates who are happy with where they land. As a recruiter, I don't ever want to put somebody in a position that they're not comfortable in just to fill a space. That's not what we do here at PS&D. It has to be the right fit for them as well. So I think that honesty and that willingness to be upfront about what you're looking for as a candidate will always work in your favor.

PS&D: How early should new Oncology providers start looking for a job?

Dr. Schroeder: Some people start looking about a year in advance. So if you are planning to finish fellowship and start seeing patients in the summer, it’s a good idea to start looking the summer before. I started reaching out in the fall, which was earlier than some of my colleagues who waited until the new year. Some of those people still have not found exactly what they are looking for. That might be because certain roles filled quickly or because they’re not in a rush to start working. I would recommend starting your search at least six to nine months before fellowship ends. And if you’re looking for something very specific or in a niche area, I would start even earlier.

Matt Faber: From a technical standpoint, those who have immigration needs should start even earlier, like 12 to 24 months before you want to start the job, if you are on a J1 or H1B visa.

PS&D: Matt, did you help Dr. Schroeder with the negotiation process?

Matt Faber: I did provide him with general compensation guidance when he wanted to counter in the negotiation, just in terms of, ‘Hey, am I asking for way too much or not enough?’ Because I’ve been recruiting in Oncology for a long time, I was able to tell him how people have handled compensation negotiation in the past. I told him, here's what I've seen work. And it was just to set his mind at ease that countering is something people do all the time. As a recruiter, I'm not telling people what dollar amount to ask for, but I did give him some general advice.

Dr. Schroeder: Matt gave great advice. Like he said, it was not about a specific number but more about the process. This was my first time negotiating and every institution seems to have its own way of doing things. It was all pretty new to me. I just wanted to be compensated fairly, but that can be hard to figure out. These are not questions we usually ask our peers. Matt helped me think through the timing and how to approach it without overstepping. It made a big difference.

Matt Faber: Compensation is one of those things nobody loves to talk about, but money is extremely important. You know, every survey shows pay is one of the top job aspects that providers care about, so we need to talk about it. If I could give advice to Oncology job seekers, and Dr. Schroder did an amazing job of this, it would be to negotiate for what you are hoping for, but let the overriding concern be about your practice and your patients, and trust that the dollars and cents are going to come together.

PS&D: Great insight, Matt! Let’s switch gears a bit and talk about the physician shortage. It's particularly acute with Oncology because cancer care needs are growing in our country, and physicians and APPs are getting older and retiring. Dr. Schroeder, what do you think needs to be done to ease the Oncology provider shortage? How do we get more medical students to go into Oncology?

Dr. Schroeder: That’s a great question. I think we need to show trainees how meaningful and rewarding Oncology can be. It is not just about giving chemotherapy. That changed a while ago. Now we have immunotherapy, cell therapy, targeted agents and real-time diagnostics. The field is moving fast and is full of innovation. From diagnosis to treatment, it is one of the most exciting areas in medicine. But the most meaningful part is the human side. You meet people during some of the hardest moments in their lives. You are with them during real struggle, pain and sometimes loss. If you can be present in that and support people through it, there is nothing more rewarding.

Matt Faber: I think there a very few people born every year who have the intellectual and emotional capability to do a position like that long-term. Being an Oncologist is a hard job that comes with a lot of emotional weight. It's not easy to sit there every day and have those conversations and to be able to do the science part of it. With Oncology, it takes a special kind of person.

PS&D: Another issue that is well-documented and often talked about is burnout, which can be especially prevalent in Oncology because of its emotional toll. Are you thinking ahead about what you can do to prevent burnout in your own practice?

Dr. Schroeder: Burnout can affect anyone, whether you’re in medicine, business, finance or anything else. One of the best ways to protect against it is being around good people. Nurses, support staff, admin, other doctors. If you are in a place where someone makes you smile every 30 minutes or laugh once an hour, that really helps. It makes a big difference. That is why the interview process matters. When I met the team at Swedish, they felt like people I could work with for the next 20 years. That kind of connection and support is an important part of avoiding burnout.

PS&D: When it comes to the work of Hematology-Oncology, what do you see at the forefront as far as pressing clinical or research questions right now? Dr. Schroeder: I might be a little biased because I have cell therapy on the brain. A big question right now is how do we make cell therapy better? Durability is a major challenge. So is access. We’re seeing some incredible breakthroughs, but often they help only a subset of patients, maybe 30%. That is great for those patients, but the question is how do we get that number up to 50% or 60%? These treatments also come with high costs and complex logistics. Figuring out how to improve outcomes while making them more accessible and sustainable is a big focus right now.

PS&D: Thank you for that insight! What are you excited about when you think about the field of Hematology-Oncology?

Dr. Schroeder: There is a lot to be excited about, especially AI. You can have two people who seem to have the same disease, but we are learning that their cancers can be very different. AI can help us understand those differences and move us closer to true personalized medicine. That is something we have been talking about for years, and now it is actually starting to happen. I think in the next five to 10 years, few patients will be treated the exact same way. Their care will be based on the specific features of their disease, and that is really exciting.

PS&D: This is all good news for cancer patients, right?

Dr. Schroeder: Yes, it's a good time for science and discovery.

PS&D: What are you looking forward to most about your new job?

Dr. Schroeder: I am hopeful that I get to be part of building something that is both clinically and scientifically meaningful for cancer patients. Seattle has a deep history in Oncology. Dr. Donnall Thomas, who helped pioneer bone marrow transplantation and later won the Nobel Prize, did some of his key work right here at Providence. I hope to contribute something to the field of Oncology that helps improve the way we care for patients and gives them better, longer lives. If I am still here at Swedish, decades from now doing meaningful work, walking the halls with a cane, that would be a great life!

PS&D: We hope that for you too, Dr. Schroeder. It's been such an honor to be able to talk with you. Thank you.

Dr. Schroeder: Thank you.