Evaluating the Suitability of the Master of Social Work Program in Improving Cancer Education in Vietnamese Hospitals

In-depth research on cancer education within social work postgraduate programs remains limited. Therefore, this qualitative study was conducted to evaluate the suitability of the Master of Social Work program at the Hanoi University of Public Health in improving cancer education in Vietnamese hospitals. Through six in-depth interviews and five focus group discussions, the findings indicate that the program demonstrated its suitability in improving cancer education in Vietnamese hospitals, particularly in terms of duration, content, and clinically focused teaching methods. The study also identified certain limitations. The program did not sufficiently emphasize the content and skills of indirect cancer education, nor the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in cancer education. Furthermore, reference materials in this area were still limited. Based on these findings, the study proposed a few improvements aimed at deepening cancer education within the Master of Social Work program. The study results offer valuable lessons for social work training institutions worldwide seeking to integrate cancer education into their master's programs. Additionally, the findings are applicable to other graduate programs in Vietnam and other countries in the region.