Education and training programs at the National Cancer Institute: 1938-1982

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has supported cancer research training and clinical cancer education since 1938, the latter in a variety of forms. These include direct clinical fellowships, followed by institutional grants designed to improve the education of students concerning cancer in medical and dental schools, and subsequently in teaching hospitals. The institutional grants went through three stages between 1948 and 1982, and have recently entered a fourth. Undergraduate Cancer Training Grants supported cancer teaching for medical and dental students. Clinical Cancer Training Grants expanded teaching activities to include post-resident trainees and medical and dental practitioners. Clinical Cancer Education Grants further extended cancer education and emphasized goals, objectives and evaluation, and focused on areas of weakness in cancer teaching such as epidemiology and cancer, cancer prevention and the role of radiation therapy. The various pressures within and without NCI that have influenced the development of these grant programs are discussed. Some cancer education activities supported by Cancer Control programs, both at NCI and another agency of the Public Health Service, are briefly mentioned. Aspects of the grant review process, program monitoring, and the impact of a professional organization developed in direct response to the first institutional cancer education grant program are described.