Defining and accomplishing clinically related objectives in an eight-hour oncology course for first-year medical students.

Abstract

Designing a clinically relevant cancer curriculum for freshmen attending medical schools with a traditional curriculum poses the following challenges: (1) there is limited curriculum time; (2) the subject matter is complex. The authors defined some of the responsibilities of the general physician in regard to cancer and six related objectives that first-year students could accomplish in an eight-hour multidisciplinary oncology course. A case-based, modified essay examination required students to demonstrate that they could begin to integrate principles of prevention, screening, diagnosis and staging, and treatment modalities. Ninety percent of the students accomplished the objectives. However, in working up the cancer case, 70% of the students did not mention the physical examination and 53% forgot multidisciplinary consultation. In a curriculum with limited objectives, first-year students can begin to deal efficiently with the complexities of cancer. Evaluation data revealed those objectives and related physician responsibilities requiring reinforcement in subsequent training.