title: Multi-Institutional Implementation and Evaluation of a Curriculum for the Medical Student Clerkship in Radiation Oncology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Radiation oncology curriculum development is challenging because of limited numbers of trainees at any single institution. The goal of this project is to implement and evaluate a standardized medical student clerkship curriculum following the multi-institutional cooperative group research model.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the 2013 academic year, a standardized curriculum was implemented at 11 academic medical centers consisting of three 1-hour lectures and a hands-on radiation treatment planning workshop. After the curriculum, students completed anonymous evaluations using Likert-type scales (1 = "not at all" to 5 = "extremely") and free responses. Evaluations asked students to rate their comfort, before and after the curriculum, with radiation oncology as a specialty, knowledge of radiotherapy planning methods, and ability to function as a radiation oncology resident. Nonparametric statistical tests were used in the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-eight students at 11 academic medical centers completed the curriculum de novo, with a 72.7% (64 of 88) survey response rate. Fifty-seven students (89.1%) reported intent to pursue radiation oncology as their specialty. Median (interquartile range) student ratings of the importance of curricular content were as follows: overview, 4 (4-5); radiation biology/physics, 5 (4-5); practical aspects/emergencies, 5 (4-5); and planning workshop, 4 (4-5). Students reported that the curriculum helped them better understand radiation oncology as a specialty (5 [4-5]), increased specialty decision comfort (4 [3-5]), and would help the transition to radiation oncology residency (4 [4-5]). Students rated their specialty decision comfort significantly higher after completing the curriculum (4 [4-5] versus 5 [5-5]; P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A national standardized curriculum was successfully implemented at 11 academic medical centers, providing proof of principle that curriculum development can follow the multi-institutional cooperative group research model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois. Electronic address: dgolden@radonc.uchicago.edu.
authors.forename: Daniel W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Golden
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Braunstein
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Rachel B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Jimenez
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Pranshu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mohindra
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spektor
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill-Cornell Medical College, Stich Radiation Oncology Center, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Jason C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ye
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D018787:Radiation Oncology / Q000193:education*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Radiation oncology; curriculum; medical students; undergraduate medical education