HSC Education Days
Document Type
Poster
Publication Date
10-4-2019
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Many oncology fellows are unable to spend an adequate time in a breast cancer clinic to fully grasp the practice. The limited cases seen by fellows rarely span the full breadth of typical clinical scenarios and treatment plans are lengthy, nuanced, and complex. RESEARCH QUESTION: Will the creation of an interactive virtual breast cancer clinic, using real patient cases, improve fellow understanding of important breast cancer concepts, as determined by the American Society of Clinical Oncology Self-Evaluation Program (ASCO-SEP)? METHODS: The course consists of 6 weekly, 1 hour sessions. We established the curriculum based on guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. We then identified real patient cases that represent the most common clinical scenarios. We included de-identified radiographic images, pathology, and laboratory values to enhance the impression of real-world clinical practice. RESULTS: ASCO-SEP questions were used as a pre-test and post-test to determine efficacy. Pre-test scores were 63.5%. Post-test scores increased to 85%. For the next session we plan to include subjective questions regarding comfort level with breast cancer management. IMPACT: Breast cancer is a highly prevalent disease that will constitute a large portion of practice for future oncologists. It is also highly represented on the ABIM board exam. Unfortunately, clinical and academic demands often limit the necessary time to become familiar with this complex practice. Virtual experiences that simulate real-world scenarios can help establish a strong understanding and comfort level with caring for breast cancer patients with minimal time demand.
Recommended Citation
Nemunaitis, Jackie; Shenthol Sasankan; and Zoneddy Dayao. "Virtual Breast Cancer Clinic: An Innovative Interactive Educational Curriculum." (2019). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/hsc_ed_day/59
Comments
This poster was presented during the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center Education Day, 2019.