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A National Multi-Disciplinary Integrative Oncology Training Program in Israel: Trainee Perspectives
Eran Ben-Arye1, Maayan Afri Malin2, Orit Gressel1
1Ruth and Bruch Rappaport Faculty of Medicine (E.B.A., M.A.M., O.G., E.S.), Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel; Lin, Carmel, and Zebulun Medical Centers (E.B.A., O.G.), Integrative Oncology Program, The Oncology Service; Clalit Health Services, Haifa, Israel.
Context And Objectives:
Integrative oncology (IO) programs are being implemented in supportive and palliative cancer care services worldwide, though research on the design of IO training programs is limited. This paper explores perspectives of trainees undergoing a national, multi-disciplinary IO training program in Israel, through their pre- and post-training narratives.
Methods:
Trainees underwent a 110-hour IO training program focused on symptom management, through online and in-person instruction. Qualitative analysis was performed on the written narratives of program trainees, addressing pretraining expectations and post-training outcomes. A digital questionnaire with open-ended questions was used, with free-text reflective narratives analyzed using ATLAS.Ti software for systematic coding.
Results:
Of the 68 trainees participating in the program, 62 provided precourse assessment; and 44 completed training, of which 33 provided post-training narratives. Pretraining themes included an expectation for enhancing communication-related competencies, primarily with patients but also with other healthcare professionals. Post-training narratives highlighted themes which included forming a professional identity as IO providers; enhanced collaboration within multidisciplinary teams; acquisition of practical competencies across diverse IO modalities; sharing clinical strategies and knowledge; and experiences of both personal and professional growth.
Conclusions:
Trainees in this national multidisciplinary IO training program expressed pretraining expectations focused primarily on communication skills; and post-training reflections emphasizing professional development, team-based practice, and integration of IO into palliative care. These findings suggest that IO training supports the transition from theoretical learning to practical clinical competencies. Further research is warranted to evaluate long-term symptom management and communication-related outcomes of combined IO and palliative care programs.
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