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Evaluation of an oncology curriculum
J Weidner1, R Michielutte, J D Hoban
1Office of Educational Research and Services, Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27103.
Summary
Medical students showed improved cancer knowledge and psychosocial preparedness after curriculum changes. The Cancer Education Program evaluation indicated positive outcomes in cancer education for future physicians.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Oncology
- Curriculum Development
Background:
- The Cancer Education Program at The Bowman Gray School of Medicine aimed to enhance undergraduate medical training.
- Integrating new learning objectives into the curriculum is crucial for medical education.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of revised cancer education objectives on medical students' knowledge and preparedness.
- To assess the effectiveness of curriculum changes in oncology training.
Main Methods:
- A quasi-experimental design compared medical school classes before and after curriculum implementation.
- A 25-question multiple-choice examination assessed knowledge acquisition.
- Control group (Class of 1985) received no new instruction; experimental groups (Classes of 1986 & 1987) received partial and full exposure.
Main Results:
- Data suggested a small but meaningful increase in overall cancer knowledge among students exposed to the new curriculum.
- Specific gains were observed in students' knowledge and their perceived ability to manage psychosocial aspects of cancer.
- Despite evaluation limitations, positive trends in learning outcomes were identified.
Conclusions:
- The updated Cancer Education Program shows potential for enhancing medical students' understanding of cancer.
- Curriculum modifications may improve students' confidence in addressing the psychosocial dimensions of cancer care.
- Further refinement of evaluation methods could strengthen future educational assessments.