Development and implementation of a curriculum in communication skills and psycho-oncology for medical oncology fellows.
BACKGROUND
Over a ten-year period, the authors developed and implemented a disease-trajectory-based curriculum in communication skills and psycho-oncology for oncology fellows.


METHODS
The basic format is a weekly ward round centered on a patient interview and subsequent discussion. More recently, this has been supplemented by a written curriculum.


RESULTS
Former fellows and current trainees perceive this training o be an important component of their overall training.


CONCLUSIONS
This kind of curriculum is one effective model for teaching communication skills and psycho-oncology to medical oncology trainees.
Hoffman
Mark
M
Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, the Long Island Campus of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New Hyde Park, New York 11040, USA.
Steinberg
Maurice
M
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000193:education*; D017145:Models, Educational; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D009518:New York; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D015397:Program Evaluation