The Impact of Predoctoral Pediatric Oncology Education

Abstract

Our Pediatric Oncology Education Program gives predoctoral students the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience to enable them to consider careers in cancer research, clinical practice, and related areas. Students are matched with a faculty mentor with similar research interests and participate in the mentor's ongoing research program. They attend ongoing institutional clinical and basic research conferences, as well as a Lunch & Learn seminar series designed specifically for them. They give a PowerPoint presentation on their research project in the Lunch & Learn series and submit a report on their research project written in the style of a journal in which their mentor publishes. Follow-up for 98.4% of the 807 program participants (1978-2004) indicates that of those who have finished their academic degree work, 87.9% have a doctorate, including 79.8% of the under-represented minority participants. 73.6% (594) of former participants are still in training. 32.3% (261) have a pediatrics or family medicine career or career goal, 24.3% (196) have a cancer-related career or career goal, and 4.8% (39) are already in a cancer-committed career. Approximately one-half of recent participants who returned for a second or third appointment have a cancer-related career goal. Results suggest that predoctoral pediatric oncology research experience fosters cancer-related career goals.