Hematology at a Crossroads: Why Young Physicians in Italy Are Turning Away.

According to recent data 21% of hematology fellowship applications in Italy remained unfilled [1]. Similarly, medical specialties such as surgery, pathology, radiotherapy, and emergency medicine have seen a significant reduction in the number of applicants. Coupled with the chronic shortage of nursing staff, the outlook for hematology as a specialty is concerning: within a few years, Italy risks lacking key healthcare professionals to treat patients with hematological malignancies.