urpose/Objective(s)
Radiation oncology curriculum development is challenging due to limited numbers of trainees at any single institution. The goal of this project is to implement and evaluate a standardized medical student clerkship curriculum following the multi-institutional cooperative group research model.
Methods and Materials
During the 2013 academic year, a standardized curriculum was implemented at 11 academic medical centers consisting of three one-hour lectures and a hands-on radiation treatment planning workshop. Post-curriculum, students completed anonymous evaluations using Likert scales (1 = "not at all" to 5 = "extremely"; reported as median [interquartile range]) and free responses. Evaluations asked students to rate their pre/post-comfort with radiation oncology as a specialty, knowledge of radiotherapy planning methods, and ability to function as a radiation oncology resident. Non-parametric statistical tests were used in analysis.
Results
88 students at 11 academic medical centers completed the curriculum de-novo with 72.7% (64/88) survey response rate. 57/64 (89.1%) reported intent to pursue radiation oncology as their specialty. Median student ratings of the importance of curricular content were: Overview 4[4-5]; Radiation Biology/Physics 5[4-5]; Practical Aspects/Emergencies 5[4-5]; Planning Workshop 4[4-5]. Students reported the curriculum helped them to better understand radiation oncology as a specialty (5[4-5]), increased specialty decision comfort (4[3-5]), and would help the transition to radiation oncology residency (4[4-5]). Students rated their specialty decision comfort significantly higher after completing the curriculum (4[4-5] vs. 5[5-5], p<0.001).
urpose/Objective(s)
Radiation oncology curriculum development is challenging due to limited numbers of trainees at any single institution. The goal of this project is to implement and evaluate a standardized medical student clerkship curriculum following the multi-institutional cooperative group research model.
Methods and Materials
During the 2013 academic year, a standardized curriculum was implemented at 11 academic medical centers consisting of three one-hour lectures and a hands-on radiation treatment planning workshop. Post-curriculum, students completed anonymous evaluations using Likert scales (1 = "not at all" to 5 = "extremely"; reported as median [interquartile range]) and free responses. Evaluations asked students to rate their pre/post-comfort with radiation oncology as a specialty, knowledge of radiotherapy planning methods, and ability to function as a radiation oncology resident. Non-parametric statistical tests were used in analysis.
Results
88 students at 11 academic medical centers completed the curriculum de-novo with 72.7% (64/88) survey response rate. 57/64 (89.1%) reported intent to pursue radiation oncology as their specialty. Median student ratings of the importance of curricular content were: Overview 4[4-5]; Radiation Biology/Physics 5[4-5]; Practical Aspects/Emergencies 5[4-5]; Planning Workshop 4[4-5]. Students reported the curriculum helped them to better understand radiation oncology as a specialty (5[4-5]), increased specialty decision comfort (4[3-5]), and would help the transition to radiation oncology residency (4[4-5]). Students rated their specialty decision comfort significantly higher after completing the curriculum (4[4-5] vs. 5[5-5], p<0.001).
urpose/Objective(s)
Radiation oncology curriculum development is challenging due to limited numbers of trainees at any single institution. The goal of this project is to implement and evaluate a standardized medical student clerkship curriculum following the multi-institutional cooperative group research model.
Methods and Materials
During the 2013 academic year, a standardized curriculum was implemented at 11 academic medical centers consisting of three one-hour lectures and a hands-on radiation treatment planning workshop. Post-curriculum, students completed anonymous evaluations using Likert scales (1 = "not at all" to 5 = "extremely"; reported as median [interquartile range]) and free responses. Evaluations asked students to rate their pre/post-comfort with radiation oncology as a specialty, knowledge of radiotherapy planning methods, and ability to function as a radiation oncology resident. Non-parametric statistical tests were used in analysis.
Results
88 students at 11 academic medical centers completed the curriculum de-novo with 72.7% (64/88) survey response rate. 57/64 (89.1%) reported intent to pursue radiation oncology as their specialty. Median student ratings of the importance of curricular content were: Overview 4[4-5]; Radiation Biology/Physics 5[4-5]; Practical Aspects/Emergencies 5[4-5]; Planning Workshop 4[4-5]. Students reported the curriculum helped them to better understand radiation oncology as a specialty (5[4-5]), increased specialty decision comfort (4[3-5]), and would help the transition to radiation oncology residency (4[4-5]). Students rated their specialty decision comfort significantly higher after completing the curriculum (4[4-5] vs. 5[5-5], p<0.001).
urpose/Objective(s)
Radiation oncology curriculum development is challenging due to limited numbers of trainees at any single institution. The goal of this project is to implement and evaluate a standardized medical student clerkship curriculum following the multi-institutional cooperative group research model.
Methods and Materials
During the 2013 academic year, a standardized curriculum was implemented at 11 academic medical centers consisting of three one-hour lectures and a hands-on radiation treatment planning workshop. Post-curriculum, students completed anonymous evaluations using Likert scales (1 = "not at all" to 5 = "extremely"; reported as median [interquartile range]) and free responses. Evaluations asked students to rate their pre/post-comfort with radiation oncology as a specialty, knowledge of radiotherapy planning methods, and ability to function as a radiation oncology resident. Non-parametric statistical tests were used in analysis.
Results
88 students at 11 academic medical centers completed the curriculum de-novo with 72.7% (64/88) survey response rate. 57/64 (89.1%) reported intent to pursue radiation oncology as their specialty. Median student ratings of the importance of curricular content were: Overview 4[4-5]; Radiation Biology/Physics 5[4-5]; Practical Aspects/Emergencies 5[4-5]; Planning Workshop 4[4-5]. Students reported the curriculum helped them to better understand radiation oncology as a specialty (5[4-5]), increased specialty decision comfort (4[3-5]), and would help the transition to radiation oncology residency (4[4-5]). Students rated their specialty decision comfort significantly higher after completing the curriculum (4[4-5] vs. 5[5-5], p<0.001).
urpose/Objective(s)
Radiation oncology curriculum development is challenging due to limited numbers of trainees at any single institution. The goal of this project is to implement and evaluate a standardized medical student clerkship curriculum following the multi-institutional cooperative group research model.
Methods and Materials
During the 2013 academic year, a standardized curriculum was implemented at 11 academic medical centers consisting of three one-hour lectures and a hands-on radiation treatment planning workshop. Post-curriculum, students completed anonymous evaluations using Likert scales (1 = "not at all" to 5 = "extremely"; reported as median [interquartile range]) and free responses. Evaluations asked students to rate their pre/post-comfort with radiation oncology as a specialty, knowledge of radiotherapy planning methods, and ability to function as a radiation oncology resident. Non-parametric statistical tests were used in analysis.
Results
88 students at 11 academic medical centers completed the curriculum de-novo with 72.7% (64/88) survey response rate. 57/64 (89.1%) reported intent to pursue radiation oncology as their specialty. Median student ratings of the importance of curricular content were: Overview 4[4-5]; Radiation Biology/Physics 5[4-5]; Practical Aspects/Emergencies 5[4-5]; Planning Workshop 4[4-5]. Students reported the curriculum helped them to better understand radiation oncology as a specialty (5[4-5]), increased specialty decision comfort (4[3-5]), and would help the transition to radiation oncology residency (4[4-5]). Students rated their specialty decision comfort significantly higher after completing the curriculum (4[4-5] vs. 5[5-5], p<0.001).
urpose/Objective(s)
Radiation oncology curriculum development is challenging due to limited numbers of trainees at any single institution. The goal of this project is to implement and evaluate a standardized medical student clerkship curriculum following the multi-institutional cooperative group research model.
Methods and Materials
During the 2013 academic year, a standardized curriculum was implemented at 11 academic medical centers consisting of three one-hour lectures and a hands-on radiation treatment planning workshop. Post-curriculum, students completed anonymous evaluations using Likert scales (1 = "not at all" to 5 = "extremely"; reported as median [interquartile range]) and free responses. Evaluations asked students to rate their pre/post-comfort with radiation oncology as a specialty, knowledge of radiotherapy planning methods, and ability to function as a radiation oncology resident. Non-parametric statistical tests were used in analysis.
Results
88 students at 11 academic medical centers completed the curriculum de-novo with 72.7% (64/88) survey response rate. 57/64 (89.1%) reported intent to pursue radiation oncology as their specialty. Median student ratings of the importance of curricular content were: Overview 4[4-5]; Radiation Biology/Physics 5[4-5]; Practical Aspects/Emergencies 5[4-5]; Planning Workshop 4[4-5]. Students reported the curriculum helped them to better understand radiation oncology as a specialty (5[4-5]), increased specialty decision comfort (4[3-5]), and would help the transition to radiation oncology residency (4[4-5]). Students rated their specialty decision comfort significantly higher after completing the curriculum (4[4-5] vs. 5[5-5], p<0.001).
urpose/Objective(s)
Radiation oncology curriculum development is challenging due to limited numbers of trainees at any single institution. The goal of this project is to implement and evaluate a standardized medical student clerkship curriculum following the multi-institutional cooperative group research model.
Methods and Materials
During the 2013 academic year, a standardized curriculum was implemented at 11 academic medical centers consisting of three one-hour lectures and a hands-on radiation treatment planning workshop. Post-curriculum, students completed anonymous evaluations using Likert scales (1 = "not at all" to 5 = "extremely"; reported as median [interquartile range]) and free responses. Evaluations asked students to rate their pre/post-comfort with radiation oncology as a specialty, knowledge of radiotherapy planning methods, and ability to function as a radiation oncology resident. Non-parametric statistical tests were used in analysis.
Results
88 students at 11 academic medical centers completed the curriculum de-novo with 72.7% (64/88) survey response rate. 57/64 (89.1%) reported intent to pursue radiation oncology as their specialty. Median student ratings of the importance of curricular content were: Overview 4[4-5]; Radiation Biology/Physics 5[4-5]; Practical Aspects/Emergencies 5[4-5]; Planning Workshop 4[4-5]. Students reported the curriculum helped them to better understand radiation oncology as a specialty (5[4-5]), increased specialty decision comfort (4[3-5]), and would help the transition to radiation oncology residency (4[4-5]). Students rated their specialty decision comfort significantly higher after completing the curriculum (4[4-5] vs. 5[5-5], p<0.001).
urpose/Objective(s)
Radiation oncology curriculum development is challenging due to limited numbers of trainees at any single institution. The goal of this project is to implement and evaluate a standardized medical student clerkship curriculum following the multi-institutional cooperative group research model.
Methods and Materials
During the 2013 academic year, a standardized curriculum was implemented at 11 academic medical centers consisting of three one-hour lectures and a hands-on radiation treatment planning workshop. Post-curriculum, students completed anonymous evaluations using Likert scales (1 = "not at all" to 5 = "extremely"; reported as median [interquartile range]) and free responses. Evaluations asked students to rate their pre/post-comfort with radiation oncology as a specialty, knowledge of radiotherapy planning methods, and ability to function as a radiation oncology resident. Non-parametric statistical tests were used in analysis.
Results
88 students at 11 academic medical centers completed the curriculum de-novo with 72.7% (64/88) survey response rate. 57/64 (89.1%) reported intent to pursue radiation oncology as their specialty. Median student ratings of the importance of curricular content were: Overview 4[4-5]; Radiation Biology/Physics 5[4-5]; Practical Aspects/Emergencies 5[4-5]; Planning Workshop 4[4-5]. Students reported the curriculum helped them to better understand radiation oncology as a specialty (5[4-5]), increased specialty decision comfort (4[3-5]), and would help the transition to radiation oncology residency (4[4-5]). Students rated their specialty decision comfort significantly higher after completing the curriculum (4[4-5] vs. 5[5-5], p<0.001).
