The effectiveness of the Ivan H. Smith Memorial Studentships program on encouraging medical students to pursue a career in radiation oncology.
BACKGROUND
Founded in 1963, the Ivan H. Smith Memorial Studentship (ISMS) is a summer program that familiarizes students with the work of several cancer centers and aims to attract medical students into oncology.


METHODS
In this study, we attempted to evaluate the impact of the ISMS Program on career choice in radiation oncology (RO).


RESULTS
There were 5.9 times as many ISMS recipients from 1971 to 1981 who completed training in RO compared to the number of graduates exiting post-MD training in RO in 1989.


CONCLUSIONS
Although few former ISMS students entered RO, the ISMS encourages medical students into this field.
Barrett
Kate
K
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. kate.barrett@utoronto.ca
Mistry
Nisha
N
Hayter
Charles
C
Poldre
Peter
P
Henry
Marilynne
M
Gardner
Sandra
S
D002321:Career Choice; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*; D018787:Radiation Oncology / Q000193:education*; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*