title: Delegation of medical tasks in French radiation oncology departments: current situation and impact on residents' training.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A national survey was conducted among the radiation oncology residents about their clinical activities and responsibilities. The aim was to evaluate the clinical workload and to assess how medical tasks are delegated and supervised.
  
  
  METHODS
  A first questionnaire was administered to radiation oncology residents during a national course. A second questionnaire was mailed to 59 heads of departments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 62% for radiation oncology residents (99 questionnaires) and 51% for heads of department (30). Eighteen heads of department (64%) declared having written specifications describing the residents' clinical tasks and roles, while only 31 radiation oncology residents (34%) knew about such a document (P=0.009). A majority of residents were satisfied with the amount of medical tasks that were delegated to them. Older residents complained about insufficient exposure to new patient's consultation, treatment planning and portal images validation. The variations observed between departments may induce heterogeneous trainings and should be addressed specifically.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  National specifications are necessary to reduce heterogeneities in training, and to insure that the residents' training covers all the professional skills required to practice radiation oncology. A frame endorsed by academic and professional societies would also clarify the responsibilities of both residents and seniors.
authors.affiliation: Département de radiothérapie et de physique médicale, QuantIf, Litis, EA4108, centre Henri-Becquerel, rue d'Amiens, 76000 Rouen, France; Société française des jeunes oncologues radiothérapeutes (SFjRO), centre Antoine-Béclère, 45, rue des Saints-Pères, 75006 Paris, France. Electronic address: sebastien.thureau@gmail.com.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thureau
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Challand
authors.forename: J-E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bibault
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Biau
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cervellera
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.forename: J-C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Faivre
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fumagalli
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Leroy
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lescut
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pichon
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Riou
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dubray
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giraud
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hennequin
mesh_terms: D032022:Delegation, Professional; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018787:Radiation Oncology / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Delegation; Délégation; Enseignement; Internes; Radiotherapy; Radiothérapie; Resident; Training