“Protected time” for clinical investigators in medical oncology: The persistent gap between expectation and reality

“Protected time” in academic oncology is essential for clinical investigators, yet its prevailing definition as “time away from clinic” may no longer reflect the realities of modern cancer research. This commentary examines the growing tension between clinical productivity demands and the operational work of clinical investigation, highlighting the need for broader discussion regarding how protected effort for clinical investigators should be conceptualized, structured, and sustained within academic oncology.