Global Curriculum in Surgical Oncology

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Surgical Education

Background:

• Global disparities in surgical oncology training hinder efforts to manage the increasing worldwide cancer burden.
• While cancer types and biology necessitate some training variations, core principles of cancer patient care are universal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a global curriculum in surgical oncology to establish essential training standards.
• To create a framework for a well-trained surgical oncology workforce to address the global cancer burden.

Main Methods:

• Convening a global curriculum committee by leaders from the Society of Surgical Oncology and European Society of Surgical Oncology.
• Developing a modular curriculum incorporating essential domains for surgical oncology training.

Main Results:

• A global surgical oncology curriculum has been developed.
• The curriculum is modular, allowing for regional flexibility to accommodate diverse sociocultural and financial contexts.
• The curriculum is aspirational, not mandatory, respecting local adaptations.

Conclusions:

• The developed global curriculum serves as foundational scaffolding for surgical oncologist training worldwide.
• This flexible, modular framework can be adapted by countries or regions for local training needs.
• The curriculum aims to standardize and enhance surgical oncology education globally.