Matthew Kurian: The Hardest Part of Oncology
Matthew Kurian, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Early in my career, I assumed the hardest part of oncology would be the medicine—the complexity, the guidelines, the unknowns.
But the real weight is different. It’s the emotional load we carry between consults and family dinners. The cognitive dissonance of talking about hospice in one room and weekend plans with your kid the next. It’s being fully present for patients, while still trying to be present at home.
I wrote a piece for ASCO Connection about this duality—the quiet, persistent tension of being an oncologist and a person, husband, dad, son, friend.
This isn’t about burnout. It’s about realism. We do meaningful work—but the meaning doesn’t make it lighter.
To early-career colleagues: You’re not imagining it. This job is heavy. But it’s also shared and arguably one of the most impactful and meaningful. The weight doesn’t go away, but you become more grounded. Better at finding meaning in the middle of the mess.
Would welcome your thoughts. What helps you stay grounded?”
More posts featuring Matthew Kurian.
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Challenging the Status Quo in Colorectal Cancer 2024
December 6-8, 2024
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ESMO 2024 Congress
September 13-17, 2024
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ASCO Annual Meeting
May 30 - June 4, 2024
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Yvonne Award 2024
May 31, 2024
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OncoThon 2024, Online
Feb. 15, 2024
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Global Summit on War & Cancer 2023, Online
Dec. 14-16, 2023