Cancer knowledge and perception of skills of general practice registrars in Australia.
BACKGROUND
The objective was to assess cancer knowledge and perception of skills of general practice (GP) registrars in Australia. This will help design future educational resources.


METHODS
We surveyed GP registrars in different Australian states.


RESULTS
Of the registrars, 86% rated highly their ability in performing cervical smears. Registrars reported examining more patients with breast cancer, lung cancer, or melanoma than rectal cancer, cancer of mouth/tongue, or lymphoma. More registrars rated the quality of their training as reasonable or better in assisting patients to stop smoking or modify alcohol intake than in cancer-related tasks. One third rated their teaching on management of curable/incurable cancer and care of the dying as poor and/or very poor, and over half had never examined prostate or rectal cancers.


CONCLUSIONS
GP registrars generally have good knowledge of cancer. Their exposure to cases of cancer is low, and it is of concern that many have never examined common tumors in our community.
Barton
Michael B
MB
Collaboration for Cancer Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Liverpool Health Service, Sydney, NSW. Michael.Barton@swsahs.nsw.gov.au
Gabriel
Gabriel S
GS
Sutherland
David
D
Sundquist
Kendra J
KJ
Girgis
Afaf
A
D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005180:Faculty, Medical / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms; D010465:Perception; D010821:Physicians, Family; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012042:Registries; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires