A Radiation Oncology Department Open House Improves Medical Students' Reported Familiarity With and Interest in the...

Background Radiation oncology (RO) plays a critical role in the multidisciplinary care of cancer patients. As an integral component of comprehensive oncologic care, medical students should have meaningful exposure to the field to develop a foundational understanding of radiation medicine concepts. Because physicians across nearly all specialties encounter patients with cancer, a basic understanding of radiation therapy is essential for delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. Methods A single-institution open house was conducted for local medical students with the goal of increasing awareness and knowledge of RO. The event included lectures describing an overview of RO and residency training, as well as technical considerations such as common RO indications and radiation treatment planning and delivery modalities. This was followed by a department tour to see and learn about RO treatment machines, including linear accelerators, proton therapy gantries, a CT simulator, and a brachytherapy afterloader device, as well as an interactive question-and-answer session. Participants were invited to complete an anonymous post-event survey consisting of six pre-/post-comparison questions (Likert scale: 1 = Not at all familiar to 5 = Very familiar), five questions regarding the impact of the open house, and general feedback. Survey items evaluated baseline exposure to RO, familiarity with the role of the radiation oncologist and aspects of the field, comfort asking questions, and interest in further exposure. Results Fifteen students attended the open house, and 12 completed the survey: nine (75%) MS1, one (8.3%) MS2, and two (16.7%) MS3. Baseline familiarity with RO was low (mean 2.5), with seven (58.3%) reporting no or minimal familiarity and six (50%) indicating no prior exposure. Following the open house, understanding of the role of a radiation oncologist improved (mean 2.3-4.1), as did knowledge of clinical indications (2.1-3.5), treatment planning (2.0-3.9), the multidisciplinary nature of care (2.8-3.8), and radiation therapy delivery modalities (1.8-3.8). Participants reported increased understanding of the specialty (mean 4.7), awareness of technology (4.6), comfort asking questions (4.6), and interest in RO (4.3). All respondents expressed motivation to pursue additional exposure, with the highest interest in clinical shadowing (100%), research opportunities (91.6%), and mentorship or career advising (91.6%). Favorable highlights of the event were the departmental tour and question-and-answer session. Conclusions A structured open house notably improved medical students' understanding, awareness, and interest in RO. This event represents a feasible, scalable approach to early medical student engagement. This approach can be reproduced in other RO departments to enhance medical student engagement, knowledge, and continued engagement with the specialty.