Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Multicenter Study
. 2021 Apr 1;127(7):1126-1133.
doi: 10.1002/cncr.33350. Epub 2020 Dec 1.

Creation of a successful multidisciplinary course in pediatric neuro-oncology with a systematic approach to curriculum development

Daniel C Moreira  1   2 , Amar Gajjar  2 , Zoltan Patay  3 , Frederick A Boop  4   5 , Jason Chiang  6 , Thomas E Merchant  7 , Teresa Santiago  6 , Elizabeth Schaeffer  1 , Jason Sonnenfelt  1 , Allyson Andujar  1 , Ana Shuler  1 , Miguela A Caniza  2   8 , Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo  1   2 , Ibrahim Qaddoumi  1   2
Affiliations
Free article
Multicenter Study

Creation of a successful multidisciplinary course in pediatric neuro-oncology with a systematic approach to curriculum development

Daniel C Moreira et al. Cancer. .
Free article

Abstract

Background: The St Jude Global Academy Neuro-Oncology Training Seminar (NOTS) is a hybrid course in pediatric neuro-oncology specifically designed for physicians from low-income and middle-income countries.

Methods: The curriculum for the course was created by conducting a targeted needs assessment that evaluated 11 domains of care for children with central nervous system (CNS) tumors. The targeted needs assessment was completed by 24 institutions across the world, and the data were used to define 5 core elements included in the 2 components of the NOTS: a 9-week online course and a 7-day in-person workshop. Participant acquisition of knowledge and changes in clinical behavior were evaluated as measures of success.

Results: Teams from 8 institutions located in 8 countries enrolled in the online course, and it was successfully completed by 36 participants representing 6 specialties. On the basis of their performance in the online course, 20 participants from 7 institutions took part in the on-site workshop. The participants exhibited improved knowledge in core elements of treating children with CNS tumors, including barriers of care, possible solutions, and steps for project implementation (P < .0001). All participants expressed a belief that they acquired new concepts and knowledge, leading to changes in their clinical practice. Those present at the workshop created an international multidisciplinary group focused on treating CNS tumors in low-income and middle-income countries.

Conclusions: By using a hybrid online and in-person approach, the authors successfully created a multidisciplinary course focused on pediatric CNS tumors for resource-limited settings. Their experience supports this strategy as a feasible mechanism for driving further global collaborations.

Keywords: central nervous system neoplasms; curriculum development; low-income and middle-income countries.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Steliarova-Foucher E, Colombet M, Ries LAG, et al. International incidence of childhood cancer, 2001-10: a population-based registry study. Lancet Oncol. 2017;18:719-731.
    1. GBD 2017 Childhood Cancer Collaborators. The global burden of childhood and adolescent cancer in 2017: an analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Lancet Oncol. 2019;20:1211-1225.
    1. Bhakta N, Force LM, Allemani C, et al. Childhood cancer burden: a review of global estimates. Lancet Oncol. 2019;20:e42-e53.
    1. Mehrvar A, Faranoush M, Hedayati Asl AA, et al. Childhood central nervous system tumors at MAHAK's Pediatric Cancer Treatment and Research Center (MPCTRC), Tehran, Iran. Childs Nerv Syst. 2014;30:491-496.
    1. Farmer PE, Rhatigan JJ. Embracing medical education's global mission. Acad Med. 2016;91:1592-1594.

Publication types