Introducing medical students to survivorship care through an elective oncology summer program.

Abstract

17 Background: Advancing the quality of cancer care requires that physicians be trained in survivorship care. An oncology seminar series was designed and implemented for first year medical students (MS1s) to improve their knowledge of oncologic disciplines, including survivorship care, by educating them about these disciplines from both a research and clinical perspective. Methods: In 2015 and 2016, MS1s at a single US medical school were invited to participate in the Scholars in Oncology-Associated Research (SOAR) summer program, which included a series of 10 lectures to provide a general survey of how clinical care, basic sciences, and social sciences apply to oncology as a multidisciplinary specialty. Lectures included topics specific to cancer genetics, medical, surgical, and radiation oncology, hospice/palliative medicine, and survivorship care. The students also attended a multidisciplinary tumor board and had the opportunity to shadow a pharmacist, radiation therapist, or palliative care advanced practice nurse. Students completed self-assessments of their understanding of oncology and its related disciplines before and after SOAR. Likert-type scores were 1=not at all, 2=somewhat, 3=moderately, 4=quite, and 5=extremely and are reported as median [interquartile range]. Results: Twenty-seven students successfully completed SOAR. Thirty-three pre- and 25 post-assessments were completed. Student self-reported understanding of oncology as a clinical discipline (2[2-3] vs. 4[4-4] p<.01) and as a research discipline (2[2-3] vs. 4[4-4] p<.01) improved after SOAR. Student understanding of survivorship care as a clinical discipline (1[1-2] vs. 3[2-4] p<.01) and as a research discipline (1[1-1] vs. 2.5[2-3] p<.01) also improved. All students indicated they would be "quite" or "extremely" likely to recommend SOAR to future students. Conclusions: A structured didactic introduction to oncology, SOAR, was successfully piloted. MS1s report improved understanding of oncology and survivorship care as clinical and research disciplines. Additional curricular content is required during subsequent years to further improve student understanding of oncology and survivorship care.