Oncology For Medical Students Research Articles

Design, implementation, and assessment of an online-based oncology education program for medical students: An ASCO Oncology Student Interest Group initiative.

11024 Background: Undergraduate medical education in oncology is often fragmented and non-standardized among medical schools (BMC Med Educ 17:100, 2017). Oncology education initiatives are thus critically needed to increase cancer awareness and improve medical students’ understanding of the principles and multidisciplinary approach of oncology. We designed and implemented an online education program with the aim of providing medical students with an early exposure to the field of oncology. Our program was adapted from the Australian Ideal Oncology Curriculum for Medical Schools and included six sessions covering the basics of cancer biology, prevention and screening, diagnosis and patient management, principles of treatment modalities, principles of surgical oncology, as well as counselling and communications skills. Methods: Medical students at our institution were invited to participate. We also invited medical students from other faculties via the support of student groups namely the nation’s medical student union and our ASCO Oncology Student Interest Group (OSIG). Invitations were sent by email and/or via social media along with a brochure outlining the conference’s program and instructions to use the Zoom platform. Students were asked to voluntarily fill online pre- and post-conference anonymous surveys. Students self-assessed their competency, personal attributes, future career aspirations, and provided an evaluation of the program. A five-point Likert scale was used for most questions, in which 1 indicated strong disagreement and 5 indicated strong agreement with the statement. Results: Nearly 300 students from over 50 medical schools in Turkey attended the live program. Only students (n = 228) who completed both the pre- and post-conference surveys were included in our study. ASCO OSIG members made up 24.1% (n = 55) of the students. Among the participants, 73.7% (n = 168) were preclinical students (years 1-3) and 26.3% (n = 60) were clinical students (years 4-6). Students’ overall self-reported rating of their knowledge significantly improved in each of the six sessions, with the greatest pre-post difference observed for diagnosis and patient management (2.51 ± 1 vs 3.87 ± 0.81) followed by principles of treatment modalities (2.54 ± 0.96 vs 3.79 ± 0.88), P < 0.001. Most students believed the program was beneficial in improving their current understanding of oncology with a mean of 4.43 ± 0.76. Most students (92.5%) were “likely” or “very likely” to recommend the program to their colleagues. Conclusions: Students’ evaluation of the online oncology program demonstrated significant benefit and knowledge improvement. Our successfully piloted teaching model of oncology for medical students can be adapted and implemented at medical schools globally. Further development and continuation of our educational initiative is undergoing.

Inspiring the future generation of oncologists: a UK-wide study of medical students\u2019 views towards oncology

BackgroundOne in 2 people born in the UK after 1960 are expected to require oncology input in their lifetime. However, only 36% of UK medical schools provide dedicated oncology placements and teaching indicating a discordance between public health impact and training. We designed a UK-wide survey to capture medical students’ views on current oncology teaching and the potential role of a national undergraduate oncology symposium as an educational, networking and motivational tool.MethodsWe undertook a national cross-sectional survey of UK medical students’ views in oncology and satisfaction with teaching using pre-designed questionnaires. We also distributed a dedicated survey (pre and post-conference) to compare medical students’ motivation towards a career in oncology after attending the national symposium. This study was prospectively approved by QMUL Ethics Committee (Reference number QMREC2348). Statistical analysis included univariate inferential tests on SPSS and GraphPad software.ResultsThe national survey was completed by 166 students representing 22 UK medical schools. Students reported limited interest, knowledge and exposure to oncology, lack of confidence in skills, and teaching dissatisfaction. Oncology was perceived as a challenging specialty (mean 4.5/5 ± 0.7), yet most students estimate receiving only 1–2 weeks of dedicated oncology teaching. The national symposium generated a statically significant increase in students’ interest, knowledge, and confidence in skills surrounding oncology, improving students’ perceived ability to cope with the emotional challenges in this field.ConclusionStudents’ views towards oncology alongside their teaching dissatisfaction underpin the need to revisit and strive to improve current undergraduate oncology curricula. Increasing medical student oncology exposure by proposing outcome-based guidelines and adopting a standardised undergraduate oncology curriculum should be the foremost priority in inspiring future oncologists to ensure excellent cancer patient care.

The Summer School Oncology Groningen: Improving a Successful International Course by Refining the Old, Maintaining What’s Good

For more than two decades, the International Summer School Oncology for Medical Students (ISOMS) has organized a biennial 2-week international summer school program in Groningen, the Netherlands. The summer school aims to increase knowledge about general cancer care, reduce fear of talking to cancer patients, and expose students to cancer-related problems. After 22 years, there was a need to improve the summer school format, the application procedure, and the intensity of the course. Here, we describe and evaluate these and additional changes that were made to the program. Several changes were made to the summer school format. The course was shortened from 10 days to a more intensive 7 days. The scientific program was integrated with the clinical program and students were taught scientific writing and presentation skills. The application process involved a personal video pitch. Importantly, the new summer school format was organized by a committee in which medical students had the lead. To evaluate the changes to the summer school, we conducted knowledge tests and regularly obtained feedback. There was a high overall student satisfaction, with a median score of a 9 out of 10. Students appreciated the interactive sessions and practicals and the scientific program, and were satisfied with the course level. All students had improved test scores. Improvement points highlighted the need for a less packed schedule and more lectures on basic oncology principles, or were related to specific lectures. The student-led innovation and adaptation of the ISOMS has been successful.

ESO-ESSO-ESTRO Multidisciplinary Course in Oncology for Medical Students: 4 Years of Experience (2016-2019).

The ESO-ESSO-ESTRO Multidisciplinary Course in Oncology is intended to fill the gap of the undergraduate fragmented oncology education, to provide insight into all theoretical and practical aspects of oncology, and to encourage future professional choices towards an oncology discipline. Students are exposed to (a) preclinical cancer topics; (b) natural history of the disease; (c) laboratory diagnostic tests; (d) medical, radiation, surgical, and palliative treatment; and (e) direct or through multidisciplinary patients' approach. Students are obliged to attend (i) all theoretical lectures, (ii) clinical case presentations, (iii) laboratories and ward visits, and (iv) to prepare and present a specific project under supervision. Participation is limited to 24 medical students who are selected through a competitive application process. Between 2016 and 2019, 96 students from 29 countries have attended. Data analysis derived from a given questionnaire demonstrates that most of the participants have declared that (1) they have achieved their expectations and objectives, (2) they have highly rated both clinical and non-clinical teaching oncological topics, and (3) they have been stimulated in developing a professional career in the field of oncology.

Mentoring Medical Students Towards Oncology: Results from a Pilot Multi-institutional Mentorship Programme

The mounting global cancer burden has generated an increasing demand for oncologists to join the workforce. Yet, students report limited oncology exposure in undergraduate medical curricula, while undergraduate oncology mentorships remain underutilised. We established an undergraduate oncology society–led mentorship programme aimed at medical students across several UK universities to increase medical student oncology exposure. We electronically recruited and paired oncologist mentors and medical student mentees and distributed a dedicated questionnaire (pre- and post-mentorship) to compare mentees’ self-reported cancer specialty knowledge and oncology career motivation after undertaking a 6-week mentorship. We also determined students’ interest across specialties and subspecialties and measured mentor availability via percentage programme uptake. Statistical analysis included univariate inferential tests on SPSS software. Twentynine (23.4%) of 124 oncology specialists agreed to become mentors. The mentorship was completed by 30 students across three medical schools: 16 (53.3%) Barts, 10 (33.3%) Birmingham, and 4 (13.3%) King’s; 11 (36.7%) mentored by medical oncologists, 10 (33.3%) by clinical/radiation oncologists, and 9 (30%) by surgical oncologists. The mentorship generated a statically significant increase in students’ knowledge of the multidisciplinary team and all oncology-related specialties including academia/research but not interest towards a career in oncology. Undergraduate oncology mentoring is an effective educational, networking and motivational tool for medical students. Student societies are a valuable asset in cultivating medical student oncology interest by connecting students to faculty and increasing mentor accessibility. Further research should focus on developing an optimal mentorship structure and evaluating long-term outcomes of such educational initiatives.

Integrating Concept Maps into a Medical Student Oncology Curriculum.

Expanding frontiers of knowledge have prompted medical schools to reconsider how best to promote learning in the face of information overload. Concept mapping (CM) promotes knowledge retention and integration. Students have perceived CM positively in prior studies, but the feasibility and utility of integrating CM into a medical student oncology curriculum as a learning and assessment tool have not been described. At the University of California, San Francisco, 152 medical students in a second-year hematology/oncology course produced concept maps about a single cancer type over 4weeks. We collected student evaluations about CM. Two of three graders independently scored each map using a standard rubric. We compared CM scores with USMLE Step 1 scores and clerkship grades using regression. All students produced a concept map. Student perception was mixed, and students provided feedback to improve CM utility as a learning tool. Grading was feasible, and inter-rater reliability was high. CM scores did not predict USMLE Step 1 scores or clerkship grades. CM was feasible as a learning tool, and we present strategies based on student feedback and literature review to improve utility. CM was feasible and reliable as an assessment tool; additional validity evidence may improve utility. Future studies should explore whether CM integrated into medical student oncology curricula early, serially, and collaboratively, with iterative practice and feedback, may predict meaningful learning and performance outcomes.

Integrating concept maps into a medical student oncology curriculum.

10506 Background: Proliferating knowledge domains have prompted medical schools to reconsider how best to facilitate multidisciplinary learning. Concept maps promote knowledge retention and integration; however, the feasibility and utility of integrating concept maps into a medical student oncology curriculum as a learning and assessment tool have not previously been described. Methods: In 2015-2016, all 152 second-year University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) medical students in a hematology/oncology course produced a concept map about a single cancer type over four weeks. Two of three graders independently scored each map using a standard rubric. We used linear regression to calculate the Pearson correlation coefficient between graders and between concept map scores and preclinical examination scores, USMLE Step 1 scores, and clerkship grades. We sent course evaluations to 50 randomly selected students (as is typical in the UCSF curriculum) and performed an inductive content analysis of open-ended comments about concept mapping. Results: We graded all 152 concept maps. Inter-rater reliability was excellent ( r = 0.95 or greater between the graders). Concept map scores did not correlate with preclinical or clinical performance. 43 of 50 students (86%) rated the helpfulness of concept mapping on a 5-point agreement scale (1=strongly disagree; 5=strongly agree). The median rating was 3, and the mean (SD) rating was 2.81 (1.44). 22 of 50 (44%) students submitted comments about concept mapping. Some (9 of 22) found concept mapping useful, expressing themes such as “learning the material better” and delving into the “details.” Others (7 of 22) did not, expressing themes such as preferring “other study methods” and feeling that concept mapping was “busy work” or “stressful.” Conclusions: Integrating concept maps into a medical student oncology curriculum was feasible, and we demonstrated reliability evidence as an assessment tool. Future studies should explore whether integrating concept maps earlier in medical school, producing multiple concept maps over time with training and feedback, or developing concept maps collaboratively may increase utility as a learning and assessment tool.

Medical Student Oncology Congress: Designed and Implemented by Brazilian Medical Students.

Oncology is an essential field of medicine; however, its teaching is occasionally underemphasized and uncoordinated during medical school. An alternative method of providing additional oncological information to medical students is through extracurricular activities, such as congresses and medical student associations. The aim of this paper is to describe a Medical Student Oncology Congress entirely designed and organized by medical students. Three medical students from oncology study and research groups identified the gap in oncology training at universities and decided to organize a congress for students. They selected representatives from 26 universities in Brazil for onsite registration and created a website for online registration and promotion of the congress. To determine the topics of the lectures, they searched the medical literature for the most commonly occurring cancers in adults and children. Extrapolating the academic content of oncology, they organized lectures by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), talks on career guidance and research in this field as well as a role-playing workshop to train future doctors on how to deliver news to patients. There were a total of 609 attendees, with 590 students from 26 different universities in Brazil. Approximately 82% were medical students, and among the participants there were also 15 medical educators. A total of 80.75% of the participants were extremely satisfied with the congress, and 99.17% would recommend it to a colleague. Most of the overall cost of the congress, 96%, was covered by registration fees. There was a 6% positive net balance, which was donated to the NGOs participating in the congress. This successful experience proves that it is possible to have a congress fully designed, organized and managed by students. It demonstrates how students can be active participants in their own education, as opposed to a classic approach through which only professors are responsible for instruction.

The Outcomes of Implementing a Special Topics Course in Radiation Oncology for Medical Students

The Outcomes of Implementing a Special Topics Course in Radiation Oncology for Medical Students

Cultivating Interest in Oncology Through a Medical Student Oncology Society

The purpose of this descriptive analysis is to describe a formal method to foster interest in oncology among medical students through a Student Oncology Society (SOS). The SOS is a student-run multidisciplinary interest group that offers oncology-related events to interested medical students at the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM). We employed a student survey to document the impact of the SOS on student interest in careers in oncology and students' perceived accessibility of mentors in oncology at our institution. All 35 students who attended the event reported that they found the discussion panels "valuable" or "somewhat valuable." A minority of students reported that student and faculty were "somewhat accessible" or "very accessible." At the end of the survey, 37% of the students reported that a discussion of career paths of various physicians or a student/resident panel on oncology would be beneficial. By giving students an opportunity to learn about the different medical and surgical specialties within oncology, the SOS is able to cultivate early interest and understanding of the field of oncology among pre-clinical medical students. Further work must be done to connect medical students to faculty mentors in oncology. Although this short report provides a model for other medical schools to begin their own student oncology interest groups, further rigorous evaluation of pre-clinical oncology education initiatives are necessary in order to document their long-term impact on medical education.

Medical Student–Reported Outcomes of a Radiation Oncologist–Led Preclinical Course in Oncology: A Five-Year Analysis

There is a recognized need for more robust training in oncology for medical students. At our institution, we have offered a core dedicated oncology block, led by a radiation oncologist course director, during the second year of the medical school curriculum since the 2008-2009 academic year. Herein, we report the outcomes of the oncology block over the past 5 years through an analysis of student perceptions of the course, both immediately after completion of the block and in the third year. We analyzed 2 separate surveys. The first assessed student impressions of how well the course met each of the course's learning objectives through a survey that was administered to students immediately after the oncology block in 2012. The second was administered after students completed the oncology block during the required radiology clerkship in the third year. All questions used a 5-level Likert scale and were analyzed by use of a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Of the 169 students who took the oncology course in 2012, 127 (75.1%) completed the course feedback survey. Over 73% of students agreed or strongly agreed that the course met its 3 learning objectives. Of the 699 medical students who took the required radiology clerkship between 2010 and 2013, 538 participated in the second survey, for a total response rate of 77%. Of these students, 368 (68.4%) agreed or strongly agreed that the course was effective in contributing to their overall medical education. Student perceptions of the oncology block are favorable and have improved across multiple categories since the inception of the course. Students self-reported that a dedicated preclinical oncology block was effective in helping identify the basics of cancer therapy and laying the foundation for clinical electives in oncology, including radiation oncology.

Student Oncology Society: A Radiation Oncologist–Led Approach to Exploring Careers in Oncology for Medical Students

Student Oncology Society: A Radiation Oncologist–Led Approach to Exploring Careers in Oncology for Medical Students

The Annual Summer School in Oncology for Medical Students, Groningen, Holland 2008

The Annual Summer School in Oncology for Medical Students, Groningen, Holland 2008

Vienna International Summer School on Experimental and Clinical Oncology for Medical Students: An Austrian Cancer Education Project

The "International Summer School on Experimental and Clinical Oncology for Medical Students" is organised at the Medical University of Vienna to teach a multidisciplinary approach to oncology to medical students in the final phase of their studies. The program includes biology, diagnosis, clinical and psycho-oncology. Lectures are given by medical, radiation and surgical oncologists. Teaching includes case reports, poster presentations and role-play. As part of the organising committee, Austrian students organise a social program. Since 1999, six courses have been held (147 students from 19 countries). Students recorded high satisfaction with organisation, scientific content and topic range. Case presentations, poster presentations and role-play were very useful. Early criticism that the program was too intense (long lectures and little interaction) has been answered. The summer school has a high degree of acceptance and is a very useful tool to teach medical students about oncology and approaching a cancer patient.

Oncology for medical students: a new ESO educational avenue

Oncology for medical students: a new ESO educational avenue

Texas state breast cancer plan: 18-year report card

6156 Background: In the 1980s, the Texas State Health Department projected that between 1986 and 2000 the number of new cancer cases in Texas would increase by more than 85%. In 1986 the Legislature responded by creating the Texas Cancer Council (TCC) to implement and administer the statewide cancer incidence and mortality reduction program. Funding came from tax dollars. Existing agencies and organizations served as the building blocks to implement the programs through competitive grants. The objective of this study is to evaluate results of the breast cancer action plans. Methods: TCC databases, funded projects and publications were researched and analyzed. Incidence and mortality data were obtained from the Texas Cancer Registry. Results: Between 1986 and 2003, TCC funded over 150 project years for breast cancer related programs (alone or in combination with other cancers) focusing on public, professional education, screening, resource development and data collection. It produced the State Breast Cancer Action Plan in 1993 and 2003, funded development and operations of Cancer Registry, Texas Cancer Data Center, Physician, Nursing and Medical Student Oncology Education Programs (POEP, NOEP, CATCHUM), Texas Cancer Gateway, mammographic units etc. Large population has been reached. Major beneficiaries of education and screening programs were non- and under insured, minorities and rural population (groups traditionally bypassed by preventive care) in all regions of the state. Age-adjusted breast cancer mortality between 1992–2001 (EAPC) decreased by 2.2 but varied between different races. Racial (White, Hispanic, African American) incidence, morality and regional differences have been documented. Conclusion: This seems to be an effective model for coordinated and cooperative public, private and volunteer organizations efforts toward reducing the cancer burden. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Texas state breast cancer plan: 18-year report card

6156 Background: In the 1980s, the Texas State Health Department projected that between 1986 and 2000 the number of new cancer cases in Texas would increase by more than 85%. In 1986 the Legislature responded by creating the Texas Cancer Council (TCC) to implement and administer the statewide cancer incidence and mortality reduction program. Funding came from tax dollars. Existing agencies and organizations served as the building blocks to implement the programs through competitive grants. The objective of this study is to evaluate results of the breast cancer action plans. Methods: TCC databases, funded projects and publications were researched and analyzed. Incidence and mortality data were obtained from the Texas Cancer Registry. Results: Between 1986 and 2003, TCC funded over 150 project years for breast cancer related programs (alone or in combination with other cancers) focusing on public, professional education, screening, resource development and data collection. It produced the State Breast Cancer Action Plan in 1993 and 2003, funded development and operations of Cancer Registry, Texas Cancer Data Center, Physician, Nursing and Medical Student Oncology Education Programs (POEP, NOEP, CATCHUM), Texas Cancer Gateway, mammographic units etc. Large population has been reached. Major beneficiaries of education and screening programs were non- and under insured, minorities and rural population (groups traditionally bypassed by preventive care) in all regions of the state. Age-adjusted breast cancer mortality between 1992–2001 (EAPC) decreased by 2.2 but varied between different races. Racial (White, Hispanic, African American) incidence, morality and regional differences have been documented. Conclusion: This seems to be an effective model for coordinated and cooperative public, private and volunteer organizations efforts toward reducing the cancer burden. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

79 Needs assessment and development of a web-based virtual experience in radiation oncology for medical students

79 Needs assessment and development of a web-based virtual experience in radiation oncology for medical students

Topic selection in undergraduate medical education and relevance to general practice.

Most patients who have possibly malignant diseases are first seen by physicians not specifically trained in oncology. The cancer education that undergraduate medical students receive is frequently dominated by basic science topics, detailed staging data, pharmacology of cancer drugs, and treatment protocols. This is not in accordance with the needs in general practice. In pre-course information and correspondence with reference to the International Summer School "Oncology for Medical Students," held in Groningen, The Netherlands, it is emphasized that the Summer School focuses on cancer care in general practice. As part of the education program participants are required to prepare abstracts and posters on oncologic topics in general health care in their own countries. Despite the emphasis on cancer care in general practice and despite suggestions for topics, some students have first sent in abstracts describing basic sciences research projects. Evidently during their medical training the relevancy of cancer education to the reality of daily practice had not been taught or had already been lost. In teaching undergraduate medical students, it should be realized that the vast majority will choose non-oncology disciplines. Thus, cancer education of these students should focus mainly on clinical cancer issues that are relevant in general practice.

Report of an international summer school--oncology for medical students--in 1996 in Groningen, The Netherlands.

An international summer school session, Oncology for Medical Students, was held in 1996 at Groningen University Hospital in The Netherlands. It was sponsored and organized by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Cancer Education-Groningen. The central focus of the two-week course was cancer in general health care. Various teaching techniques were used, but interaction between students and patients, and students and faculty, was considered a prerequisite. The approach was multidisciplinary, with a variety of clinical disciplines participating, including patient organizations and the Comprehensive Cancer Center North Netherlands. The students, from all over the world, presented posters about oncology topics in their countries. Evaluation showed that the course was highly appreciated by the students; in particular, the students felt they had benefitted from the multidisciplinary approach, the patient encounters, the psychosocial concern, the poster sessions, the quality of the teaching, and meeting other students from all over the world.