Medical oncology in a sophomore medical student pathophysiology course

At the University of Colorado School of Medicine, a Medical Oncology unit was first included in the Sophomore Medical Student Pathophysiology Course (MED 6000) in the academic year 1985-1986. Cancer education is important in the preclinical curriculum, because medical students and physicians in most specialties will encounter a significant number of patients with cancer, the second leading cause of death in the United States. Described here is the development of the Medical Oncology unit in MED 6000, how both the mechanics and objectives of the course have changed, and how these changes have affected the student evaluation of the course.