Teaching Oncology Residents Anatomy: A Multidisciplinary (MDT) Approach

Abstract

Radiation oncology has undergone a paradigm shift with the advent of precision radiotherapy techniques, demanding a thorough understanding of gross and radiologic anatomy for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Complex anatomic sites present challenges for learners and are not well‐addressed in traditional postgraduate curricula. We developed a novel, MDT, hands‐on head‐and‐neck curriculum for residents and empirically assessed learning outcomes. 15 post‐graduate trainees participated in 4 MDT head‐and‐neck workshops, created collaboratively by an anatomist, radiologist, radiation oncologist, and otolaryngologist. Pre‐ and posttesting was performed to assess knowledge and accuracy of contouring, with a demographic profile survey and post‐intervention feedback survey. Paired analyses of knowledge pretests and postests were performed by Wilcoxon signed‐rank test. A statistically significant (p<0.001) mean absolute change of 4.6 points was observed between knowledge pretest and posttest scores. Contouring accuracy will be analyzed qualitatively (adequacy assessed by an expert) and quantitatively (calculating spatial overlap of participants’ contours and a gold standard through the dice similarity coefficient). Incorporating MDT anatomic workshops into the curriculum is a beneficial intervention associated with improved post‐intervention scores and resident satisfaction.Grant Funding Source: Departmental Submitted to PAEA 5/25/2012 (bqmelcher)