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An integrated oncology course for second year medical students
D W Luedke1, J W Davis, H G Grobman
1Department of Internal Medicine, St. Louis University School of Medicine, MO 63104.
Summary
This medical course significantly boosts student knowledge of cancer care through integrated learning. While problem-solving skills improve, fact retention is stronger, indicating effective cancer education.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Oncology
- Interdisciplinary Studies
Background:
- Medical students require comprehensive training in cancer patient management.
- An integrated approach is crucial for understanding the multidisciplinary nature of cancer care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate an integrated course on cancer patient management for second-year medical students.
- To assess the impact of the course on students' knowledge, problem-solving abilities, and overall acceptance.
Main Methods:
- Course included lectures on medical disciplines, panel discussions on clinical cooperation, and small group problem-solving.
- Laboratory sessions involved hands-on practice with anatomical models for tumor detection and fecal occult blood testing.
Main Results:
- Significant increase in students' knowledge about cancer post-course.
- Students showed improvement in problem-solving but excelled more in fact retention.
- No "practice-effect" observed between pre- and post-tests, indicating genuine knowledge gain.
Conclusions:
- The integrated course effectively enhances medical students' understanding of cancer.
- The curriculum successfully imparts factual knowledge and demonstrates the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in oncology.
- While problem-solving skills show improvement, further development in this area may be beneficial.