With 12 years of experience at Mayo MN we have found that different specialties operate with differing ease of scheduling. If you can find a useful secretary for Dr Stan, ask how many weeks ahead their schedule opens up. That tells you when to call for appointments. Having a local referral can speed things up. I agree that timing is important with cancer care, but over the years I have found that many appointment schedules slip a month or two longer routinely. It seems to be even harder now. Be persistent and I hope you can find that great staff member who goes above and beyond to get you scheduled.