An interprofessionally developed geriatric oncology curriculum for hematology-oncology fellows

Abstract

Objective: Because the cancer population is aging, interprofessional education incorporating geriatric principles is essential to providing adequate training for oncology fellows. We report the targeted needs assessment, content, and evaluation tools for our geriatric oncology curriculum at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Methods: A team comprising a geriatrician, a medical oncologist, an oncology PharmD, an oncology advanced nurse practitioner, and two oncology chief fellows developed the geriatric oncology curriculum. First, a general needs assessment was conducted by reviewing the literature and medical societies' publications and by consulting experts. A targeted needs assessment was then conducted by reviewing the fellows' evaluations of the geriatric oncology rotation and by interviewing fellows and recently graduated oncology faculty.

Results: Geriatric assessment, pharmacology, and psychosocial knowledge skills were the three identified areas of educational need. Curriculum objectives and an evaluation checklist were developed to evaluate learners in the three identified areas. The checklist content was validated by consulting experts in the field. Online materials, including a curriculum, a geriatric pharmacology job aid, and pharmacology cases, were also developed and delivered as part of the curriculum.

Conclusion: An interprofessional team approach was a successful method for identifying areas of learners' educational needs, which in turn helped us develop an integrated geriatric oncology curriculum. The curriculum is currently being piloted and evaluated.

Keywords: Curriculum; Education; Fellowship; Geriatric oncology; Hematology/oncology.

Fig. 1

Interviews’ structure and questions.

Fig. 2

Geriatric oncology assessment checklist.

Fig. 3

Geriatric oncology curriculum syllabus.