Approaches to Medical Student Outreach at Academic Radiation Oncology Programs

Abstract

In recent years, there has been increasing interest, but minimal progress, in diversifying the radiation oncology (RO) workforce. The purpose of this study is to assess how RO programs affiliated with a medical school actively engage medical students who are either female, or from racial and ethnic demographic groups that are historically underrepresented in medicine. Our hypothesis is that outreach targeted specifically to female or minority medical students to stimulate interest in RO is relatively uncommon at most institutions.An electronic survey was sent to all 83 RO residency program directors whose department is affiliated with an on-site medical school. Program directors could specify a faculty member more directly responsible for medical student activities to respond instead. The first set of questions assessed whether in the past two years faculty had given a presentation to an oncology (or RO) medical student interest group, or to student groups devoted to a specific subset of students like a Student National Medical Association (SNMA) chapter (which usually functions as a group for Black medical students), Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) chapter, or American Medical Women's Association (AMWA) chapter. The second set of questions assessed departments' methods of promoting the ASTRO Minority Summer Fellowship Award within their medical school. The third set of questions assessed whether in the past two years faculty had given a presentation to any premedical student groups, or pipeline programs or other undergraduate groups focused on minority or female students. Descriptive statistics are reported.A representative from 54/83 programs responded (response rate 65%). Faculty from 83% of programs had given a presentation to an oncology (or RO) medical student interest group. However, only 18% had given a presentation to an SNMA chapter, 8% to an LMSA chapter, and 12% to an AMWA chapter. 15% of programs actively promote the ASTRO Minority Summer Fellowship to the general student body, 12% promote it to members of cancer interest groups, and 25% promote it to any minority students who express an interest in RO. 30% were unaware of this fellowship prior to this survey. Faculty from 22% of programs had given a presentation to a premedical student group, 10% to an undergraduate student group focused on minority or female students, and 20% to a pipeline program for high school (or younger) students focused on minority or female students.The majority of academic RO departments with a residency program and affiliated medical school do not offer educational outreach specifically targeting women or minority students, or promote the ASTRO Minority Summer Fellowship. Prioritization of such activities should be considered if there is a desire to break from the status quo and attract a more diverse workforce.