Fame

This is tricky. Oscars and Emmys go to people who act like oncologists in movies and TV shows, but not to actual oncologists. It seems pretty unfair to us. Ask yourself if you'd rather save someone's life or just pretend to in a blockbuster movie? Wait, don't answer that. Purely food for thought.

The general public might not know the names of the movers and shakers in the war on cancer, but general fame isn't why oncologists do what they do. Seriously, if these men and women wanted the whole red carpet hoopla thing, the carpeted areas of every large hospital would be a sea of crimson.

As it is, the awards oncologists look for are research grants they'll use to further their search for better treatments. Those making the biggest strides are very famous in medical circles. Local fame goes to those oncologists who gain a reputation for excellence while treating people in their own neighborhoods. The best days for them are those where they tell a patient to come back next year because everything looks good.

Sorry, Oscar, but you can't hold a candle to that kind of fame.