Developing a postgraduate medical oncology training program in Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

Because cancer is the number one cause of mortality in Taiwan, a governmental decision was made to develop an experiment in medical oncology education using a United States-style training program in medical oncology in three Taipei, Taiwan, university hospitals. In the past, trainees from developing countries came to the United States or other foreign countries to receive specialty training. In doing so, the training did not necessarily prepare the individuals with skills to treat the indigenous cancers, nor did they work with other related specialists or support staff such as nursing and pharmacy, so important to providing good cancer care. This program involved 13 fellows with significant laboratory experience working with American faculty on-site. The major benefits of this model for oncology training are that the trainees developed important interdisciplinary relationships with local staff at each of the hospitals; they were involved in the treatment of the major cancer diseases of Taiwan such as nasopharyngeal, hepatocellular, and cervical cancers as well as breast, lung, and colon cancers; and they completed a certification process involving written and oral tests by two senior American oncologist examiners. Oncology services have been established at each of the hospitals and most of the fellows have expressed an interest or made arrangements to come to the United States to get additional research experience.