Palliative care and palliative radiotherapy education in radiation oncology: A survey of US radiation oncology program directors.

Authors

null

Randy Wei

UC Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, CA

Randy Wei, Lauren Colbert, Joshua Adam Jones, Gabrielle Kane, Margarita Racsa-Alamgir, Neha Vapiwala, Kavita Vyas Dharmarajan

Organizations

UC Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, CA, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, New York University Clinical Cancer Center, Medsford, MA, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY

Research Funding

Other

Background: To assess the state of palliative care education curricula in radiation oncology residency programs in the United States. Methods: We surveyed 90 program directors of radiation oncology residency programs in the United States from September 2015 to November 2015. An electronic survey on palliative care education during residency was sent to all program directors. The survey consisted of questions on perceived relevance of palliative care in radiation oncology residency, formal didactics on domains of palliative care, effective teaching formats for palliative care education, and perceived barriers for integrating palliative care into the residency curriculum. Results: Sixty-three percent (57/90) residency program directors completed the survey. Most (93%) program directors agree or strongly agree that palliative care is an important competency for radiation oncologists. A vast majority (90%) of programs have dedicated palliative care services; however, only 57% of programs offer residents an opportunity to spend elective time on a palliative care service. Of these programs, only 30% reported residents rotating on a palliative care service in the past two years. Furthermore, 67% of residency programs have formal educational activities in principles and practice of palliative care. The palliative care curriculum included faculty-led lectures (73%), resident-led lectures (42%), and seminars (22%). Most programs have one or more hours of formal didactics on management of pain (66%), management of neuropathic pain (64%), and management of nausea and vomiting (64%). 35%, 46%, and 48% programs had one or more hours of management of non-physical symptoms including fatigue, anorexia, and anxiety, respectively. Conclusions: Residency program directors believe that palliative care is an important competency for their trainees. The survey revealed that many programs have structured curricula on PSC and palliative radiation education, but that there are still areas for improvement.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2016 Palliative and Supportive Care in Oncology Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session A

Track

Evaluation and Assessment of Patient Symptoms and Quality of Life,Integration and Delivery of Palliative Care in Cancer Care

Sub Track

Quality improvement activities

Citation

J Clin Oncol 34, 2016 (suppl 26S; abstr 178)

DOI

10.1200/jco.2016.34.26_suppl.178

Abstract #

178

Poster Bd #

K4

Abstract Disclosures