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Editorial
. 2020 Oct 1;108(2):444-451.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.06.050.

Virtual Radiation Oncology Clerkship During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

Navjot Sandhu  1 , Jessica Frank  1 , Rie von Eyben  1 , Jacob Miller  1 , Jean-Pierre Obeid  1 , Noah Kastelowitz  1 , Neil Panjwani  1 , Scott Soltys  1 , Hilary P Bagshaw  1 , Sarah S Donaldson  1 , Kathleen Horst  1 , Beth M Beadle  1 , Daniel T Chang  1 , Iris C Gibbs  1 , Erqi Pollom  2
Affiliations
Editorial

Virtual Radiation Oncology Clerkship During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

Navjot Sandhu et al. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. .

Abstract

Purpose: We evaluated the impact of a virtual radiation oncology clerkship.

Methods and materials: We developed a 2-week virtual radiation oncology clerkship that launched on April 27, 2020. Clerkship components included a virtual clinic with radiation oncology faculty and residents, didactic lectures, student talks, and supplemental sessions such as tumor boards and chart rounds. Medical students completed pre- and post-clerkship self-assessments. Faculty and resident participants also completed surveys on their experience with virtual lectures and clinics. Pre- and post-clerkship results were compared using a 2-sided paired t test. An analysis of variance model was used to analyze the clerkship components.

Results: Twenty-six medical students, including 4 visiting students, enrolled over 2 clerkship periods (4 weeks). All students completed the pre- and post-clerkship self-assessments and agreed that the clerkship improved their understanding of radiation oncology. Compared with 3 (11.5%) students who agreed that they understood the daily responsibilities of a radiation oncologist before the clerkship, 22 (84.6%) students agreed and 3 (11.5%) strongly agreed that they understood the daily responsibilities of a radiation oncologist after the clerkship (P < .0001). Although 15 students (57.7%) reported an increased interest in radiation oncology because of the clerkship, the mean level of interest in radiation oncology as a career remained the same, with pre- and post-clerkship scores of 3.0 (±0.9) and 3.0 (±1.1) on a 5-point scale, respectively (P = .7). Students found virtual clinic and didactic lectures to be the most valuable components of the clerkship. Most respondents agreed (30.8%) or strongly agreed (65.4%) to recommend the clerkship to their classmates.

Conclusions: Our virtual clerkship was effective in increasing medical student interest in and knowledge about radiation oncology. These data will help optimize a new paradigm of virtual radiation oncology education for medical students during COVID-19 and beyond.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Mean rank value and standard deviation of each clerkship component by medical students (n = 26). Respondents rated each curriculum component on a 5-point ranking scale of most valuable (1) to least valuable (5).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Prerotation versus postrotation student responses to knowledge of and interest in radiation oncology.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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    1. Pollom E., Sandhu N., Frank J., et al., Continuing medical student education during the COVID-19 pandemic: Development of virtual radiation oncology clerkship, Adv Radiat Oncol, 2020: S2452109420301378. - PMC - PubMed

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