title: Educational Value of a Medical Student-Led Head and Neck Cancer Screening Event.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate improvement of medical student knowledge of head and neck cancer (HNC) through participation in HNC screening fairs run by medical students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study of surveys assessing medical students' knowledge of HNC before and after volunteering at screening fairs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four screening fairs held at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine during Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical student screening fair volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four HNC screening fairs were organized by medical student volunteers. All students completed a preevent survey assessing baseline knowledge and participated in an otolaryngologist-led training session about HNC and the screening examination. During the screening events, students educated guests about HNC and performed physician-guided history and physical examinations. Finally, students completed identical surveys 1 week and 3 months after the event.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-four (n = 34) students completed the preevent surveys. At baseline, 59%, 44%, and 24% named tobacco, alcohol, and human papilloma virus as risk factors, compared with 84%, 81%, and 69% on 3 month follow-up, respectively. Out of 6 analyzed questions, the median total number of correctly answered questions improved from 2 on pretest to 5 at 3 months (P < .0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Volunteer participation in a HNC screening program improves medical students' knowledge of HNC risk factors and symptoms. This innovative approach to students' education via participation and organization of screening events is a useful method of improving their HNC knowledge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Monika E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Freiser
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Dipan D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Azcarate
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Mikhaylo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szczupak
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Erin R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Francesca N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Raffa
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: George
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics Collaboration and Consulting Core, Division of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Kaming
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Chetan S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Nayak
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Donald T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Weed
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA ZSargi@med.miami.edu.
authors.forename: Zoukaa B
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Sargi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000193:education*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013337:Students, Medical
keywords: cancer screening; head and neck cancer; medical education; medical student