Breast Fellows Forum: A Multidisciplinary Core Curriculum Model for Surgical Oncology Fellowships

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Medical Education
• Multidisciplinary Care

Background:

• Subspecialty fellowship training is increasing, necessitating integrated curricula.
• Multidisciplinary medical practice requires comprehensive training across specialties.
• Existing specialized programs face challenges in delivering interdisciplinary content.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a joint, interdisciplinary, interactive didactic program for breast fellowship training.
• To establish a core curriculum covering essential topics for breast fellows.
• To improve diagnostics and clinical care through enhanced fellowship education.

Main Methods:

• Developed a yearlong core curriculum focused on breast diagnostics and clinical care.
• Implemented monthly, two-hour, fellow-run, interactive in-person sessions.
• Incorporated hour-long virtual didactic sessions led by faculty from various breast subspecialties.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive curriculum was created for breast fellows.
• Interactive in-person and virtual sessions facilitated knowledge sharing.
• The program addressed the interdisciplinary needs of breast fellowship training.

Conclusions:

• The joint didactic program effectively addresses the need for interdisciplinary training in breast fellowships.
• This educational model enhances the core competencies of fellows in surgery, pathology, and imaging.
• The program provides a framework for collaborative learning in breast oncology.