Fellows' forum: a workshop on the stresses of being an oncologist
Jennifer Armstrong1, Marguerite Lederberg, Jimmie Holland
1Division of Medical Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA. jarmstrong@msbx.net
Background:
A pilot workshop was designed for medical oncology fellows to discuss the personal dimension and stresses of clinical oncology training.
Methods:
Focus was directed at increasing awareness not only of the patients' psychosocial needs but also the fellows' personal responses to them. Fellows were invited to a bimonthly luncheon to discuss difficult cases they had encountered from a psychosocial perspective. The sessions were cofacilitated by Medical Oncology and Psychiatry.
Results:
Recurrent topics included the stresses of breaking bad news, treating pain, managing the depressed or angry patient, problems related to end of life, and complex family and cultural issues.
Conclusions:
There was high satisfaction expressed with the forum.
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