Using Expert Panels to Determine the Level of Cancer Knowledge Required of Junior Doctors in Australia. Part 1: Methodology and Results

Abstract

A number of curricula have been developed to address shortfalls in cancer education. However, no standardised means of assessing medical graduates against such curricula currently exist. This paper describes the use of expert panels to determine the level of cancer-related knowledge required by junior doctors. Participants individually reviewed knowledge items from the Ideal Oncology Curriculum for Medical Students and rated the level of understanding and specificity of each. On completion, panel sessions were convened to reach consensus. Fifty-two (17 %) items were considered irrelevant for junior doctors, whilst 164 items (54 %) and 85 items (28 %) were deemed appropriate at a moderate and high level of understanding, respectively. As a result, 249 (83 %) of the 301 items were deemed appropriate for junior doctors. Expert panels provide an important insight into the requirements of junior doctors, reduce ambiguity and facilitate discussion, resulting in higher quality data than that produced solely through individual reviews.

A Cancer Education Framework for Australian Medical Schools: an Announcement of a New Educational Program

“…concepts of incidence and mortality, and evidence-based practice) were excluded to reduce the size of the framework and to optimise its utility and adoption. The framework draws heavily from the Cancer Council Australia's Ideal Oncology Curriculum for Medical Schools [15], and the aforementioned review by cancer clinicians [17]. Other curricula used in the development of this framework include the Palliative Care Curriculum for Undergraduates [16] and the International Summer School 'Oncology for Medical Students' curriculum [18].…”

What do undergraduate doctors really need to know about radiation oncology?

“…A list of clinical experiences was added to the revised Ideal Curriculum in 2007. 14 Starmer et al 15 used expert panels to further define the levels of knowledge about that junior doctors needed coming up with a list of 249 items. Is it realistic to ask experts in the field what they think junior doctors should know about their specialty?…”

“…A list of clinical experiences was added to the revised Ideal Curriculum in 2007 . Starmer et al . used expert panels to further define the levels of knowledge about that junior doctors needed coming up with a list of 249 items.…”