Assessing the value of an optional radiation oncology clinical rotation during the core clerkships in medical school.
OBJECTIVE
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
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.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Jefferson Medical College, Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Nicholas G
NG
Zaorsky
Theresa M
TM
Malatesta
Robert B
RB
Den
Evan
E
Wuthrick
Peter H
PH
Ahn
Maria
M
Werner-Wasik
Wenyin
W
Shi
Adam P
AP
Dicker
P Rani
PR
Anne
Voichita
V
Bar-Ad
Timothy N
TN
Showalter
D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D015143:Philadelphia; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D018787:Radiation Oncology / Q000193:education*; D012577:Schools, Medical