Oncology Training in Rwanda: Challenges and Opportunities for Undergraduate Medical Students (The EDUCAN Project)

Manirakiza, Achille; Rubagumya, Fidel; Fehr, Alexandra; Triedman, A. S.; Greenberg, L.; Mbabazi, Gerard; Ntacyabukura, Blaise; Nyagabona, Sarah Kutika; Maniragaba, Theoneste; Longombe, Ahuka N.; Ndoli, Diane A; Makori, K.; Kiugha, M.; Rulisa, S.; Hammad, Nazik

doi:10.1007/s13187-019-1473-6

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Even common tumors such as prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, leukemia and lymphoma were not assessed by more than one-third of the participants. This is consistent with the situation in other lower middle-income countries (LMICs) [ 9 , 14 ] and may be translated into missing cancer diagnoses and false directions of patients by general practitioners and primary healthcare workers [ 23 ]. The difference in exposure to radiation and palliative oncology compared with medical and surgical oncology was also noted in Australia, where students reporting never attending palliative or radiation oncology clinics was double that of students never attending medical or surgical oncology clinics [ 24 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

“…This is the first study to describe undergraduate oncology curriculum in Sudan and one of the few studies described on undergraduate oncology curriculum in Africa [ 9 , 14 ]. This was a nationwide large-scale study that covered 17 public medical schools using a stratified random sampling approach, thus limiting response bias.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The main limitation of this study is the use of self-reported confidence to measurecompetence. This approach is common in medical education [ 9 ]. Nevertheless, we have emphasized the subjectivity of self-reported confidence in competence and did not associate it with actual competence throughout our discussion.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This highlights the effect of undergraduate training on general practitioners’ practice. The WHO has highlighted the importance of training general practitioners to ensure early cancer diagnosis [ 9 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Undergraduate oncology education in Sudanese public medical schools; a national cross-sectional study

Alrawa,

Elgadi,

Alfadul

et al. 2023

BMC Med Educ

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Background Cancer was the fifth leading cause of death in Sudan general hospitals in 2020, and its incidence is increasing. Medical students’ cancer education is key in cancer control. Evaluating the current education is the first step in optimizing it. The aim of this study was to assess undergraduate oncology education in Sudan public medical schools as reflected by the graduates of the year 2021–2022. Method This was a cross-sectional institution-based study. A validated online questionnaire was sent between 8 September and 11 November 2022 to graduates who were selected using a stratified random sampling technique from 17 Sudan public medical schools. The data were collected using Google Forms and analyzed using R software version 4.2.2 and Microsoft Excel 2022. Results A total of 707 graduates completed the questionnaire. They reported generally poor exposure to oncology. Palliative and radiation oncology in addition to chemotherapy daycare units were never attended by 76.0%, 72.0%, and 72.0% of graduates, respectively. The massed oncology curriculum was associated with increased hours of lectures dictated to medical (p = 0.005), radiation (p < 0.001), and palliative oncology (0.035). It was associated with an increased likelihood of assessment in breaking bad news (p < 0.001), counseling cancer patients (p = 0.015), and oncology-related knowledge (p < 0.001). The massed curriculum was associated with a decrease in interest in pursuing an oncology career (p = 0.037). Students were generally confident in their oncology competencies, and no difference was observed in relation to the curriculum approach (p > 0.05). Conclusion This study reflected poor exposure to oncology at the undergraduate level in Sudanese public medical schools. The massed oncology curriculum was associated with formal assessment of oncology-related competencies and better exposure to some disciplines, such as radiation and palliative oncology. Nonetheless, it was associated with decreased interest in an oncology career. In spite of the poor exposure, graduates were confident in their skills in oncology-related competencies. Further objective analysis of competence is needed.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Undergraduate oncology education in Sudanese public medical schools; a national cross-sectional study

Alrawa,

Elgadi,

Alfadul

et al. 2023

BMC Med Educ

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Principles of oncology taught in a one-week course

Oettle,

Büttner,

Forster

et al. 2023

J Cancer Res Clin Oncol

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Background Growing challenges in oncology require evolving educational methods and content. International efforts to reform oncology education are underway. Hands-on, interdisciplinary, and compact course formats have shown great effectiveness in the education of medical students. Our aim was to establish a new interdisciplinary one-week course on the principles of oncology using state-of-the-art teaching methods. Methods In an initial survey, medical students of LMU Munich were questioned about their current level of knowledge on the principles of oncology. In a second two-stage survey, the increase in knowledge resulting from our recently established interdisciplinary one-week course was determined. Results The medical students’ knowledge of clinically important oncological topics, such as the diagnostic workup and interdisciplinary treatment options, showed a need for improvement. Knowledge of the major oncological entities was also in an expandable state. By attending the one-week course on the principles of oncology, students improved their expertise in all areas of the clinical workup in oncology and had the opportunity to close previous knowledge gaps. In addition, students were able to gain more in-depth clinical knowledge on the most common oncological entities. Conclusion The interdisciplinary one-week course on the principles of oncology proved to be an effective teaching method to expand the knowledge of the future physicians to an appropriate level. With its innovative and interdisciplinary approach, the one-week course could be used as a showcase project for the ongoing development of medical education in Germany.

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ESO-ESSO-ESTRO Multidisciplinary Course in Oncology for Medical Students: 4 Years of Experience (2016–2019)

et al. 2021

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Oncology Training in Rwanda: Challenges and Opportunities for Undergraduate Medical Students (The EDUCAN Project)

Cited by 5 publications

References 24 publications

Undergraduate oncology education in Sudanese public medical schools; a national cross-sectional study

Undergraduate oncology education in Sudanese public medical schools; a national cross-sectional study

Principles of oncology taught in a one-week course

ESO-ESSO-ESTRO Multidisciplinary Course in Oncology for Medical Students: 4 Years of Experience (2016–2019)

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