Assessing the value of an optional radiation oncology clinical rotation during the core clerkships in medical school.
Publication/Presentation Date
7-15-2012
Abstract
PURPOSE: Few medical students are given proper clinical training in oncology, much less radiation oncology. We attempted to assess the value of adding a radiation oncology clinical rotation to the medical school curriculum.
METHODS AND MATERIALS: In July 2010, Jefferson Medical College began to offer a 3-week radiation oncology rotation as an elective course for third-year medical students during the core surgical clerkship. During 2010 to 2012, 52 medical students chose to enroll in this rotation. The rotation included outpatient clinics, inpatient consults, didactic sessions, and case-based presentations by the students. Tests of students' knowledge of radiation oncology were administered anonymously before and after the rotation to evaluate the educational effectiveness of the rotation. Students and radiation oncology faculty were given surveys to assess feedback about the rotation.
RESULTS: The students' prerotation test scores had an average of 64% (95% confidence interval [CI], 61-66%). The postrotation test scores improved to an average of 82% (95% CI, 80-83%; 18% absolute improvement). In examination question analysis, scores improved in clinical oncology from 63% to 79%, in radiobiology from 70% to 77%, and in medical physics from 62% to 88%. Improvements in all sections but radiobiology were statistically significant. Students rated the usefulness of the rotation as 8.1 (scale 1-9; 95% CI, 7.3-9.0), their understanding of radiation oncology as a result of the rotation as 8.8 (95% CI, 8.5-9.1), and their recommendation of the rotation to a classmate as 8.2 (95% CI, 7.6-9.0).
CONCLUSIONS: Integrating a radiation oncology clinical rotation into the medical school curriculum improves student knowledge of radiation oncology, including aspects of clinical oncology, radiobiology, and medical physics. The rotation is appreciated by both students and faculty.
Volume
83
Issue
4
First Page
465
Last Page
469
ISSN
1879-355X
Published In/Presented At
Zaorsky, N. G., Malatesta, T. M., Den, R. B., Wuthrick, E., Ahn, P. H., Werner-Wasik, M., Shi, W., Dicker, A. P., Anne, P. R., Bar-Ad, V., & Showalter, T. N. (2012). Assessing the value of an optional radiation oncology clinical rotation during the core clerkships in medical school. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics, 83(4), e465–e469. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2012.01.058
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
PubMedID
22704704
Department(s)
Administration and Leadership
Document Type
Article