title: What Are Medical Students in the United States Learning About Radiation Oncology? Results of a Multi-Institutional Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purposes of this study were to assess the exposure that medical students (MSs) have to radiation oncology (RO) during the course of their medical school career, as evidenced by 2 time points in current medical training (ie, first vs fourth year; MS1s and MS4s, respectively) and to assess the knowledge of MS1s, MS4s, and primary care physicians (PCPs) about the appropriateness of RT in cancer management in comparison with RO attendings.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed and beta tested an electronic survey divided into 3 parts: RO job descriptions, appropriateness of RT, and toxicities of RT. The surveys were distributed to 7 medical schools in the United States. A concordance of >90% (either yes or no) among RO attendings in an answer was necessary to determine the correct answer and to compare with other subgroups using a χ(2) test (P<.05 was significant).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall response rate for ROs, MS1s, MS4s, and PCPs was 26%; n (22 + 315 + 404 + 43)/3004. RT misconceptions decreased with increasing level of training. More than 1 of 10 MSs did not believe that RT alone could cure cancer. Emergent oncologic conditions for RT (eg, spinal cord compression, superior vena cava syndrome) could not be identified by >1 of 5 respondents. Multiple nontoxicities of RT (eg, emitting low-level radiation from the treatment site) were incorrectly identified as toxicities by >1 of 5 respondents. MS4s/PCPs with an RO rotation in medical school had improved scores in all prompts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although MS knowledge of general RT principles improves from the first to the fourth year, a large knowledge gap still exists between MSs, current PCPs, and ROs. Some basic misconceptions of RT persist among a minority of MSs and PCPs. We recommend implementing formal education in RO fundamentals during the core curriculum of medical school.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Electronic address: nicholaszaorsky@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nicholas G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Zaorsky
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Talha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shaikh
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Handorf
authors.affiliation: Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eastwick
authors.affiliation: Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hesney
authors.affiliation: Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Eli D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Scher
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia.
authors.forename: Ryan T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia.
authors.forename: Timothy N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Showalter
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, Ohio.
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Avkshtol
authors.affiliation: University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, Madison, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Stephanie R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Horwitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Joshua E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Meyer
mesh_terms: D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007587:Job Description; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018787:Radiation Oncology / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055990:Therapeutic Misconception; D014481:United States