The Summer School Oncology Groningen: Improving a Successful International Course by Refining the Old, Maintaining What’s Good

For more than two decades, the International Summer School Oncology for Medical Students (ISOMS) has organized a biennial 2-week international summer school program in Groningen, the Netherlands. The summer school aims to increase knowledge about general cancer care, reduce fear of talking to cancer...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of cancer education 2022-08, Vol.37 (4), p.1228-1235
Main Authors: Boske, E. C. E., Nienhuis, P. H., Hammer, C., Jalving, M., Kruyt, F. A. E., de Vries, J., Roodenburg, J. L. N., Metman, M. J. H., Kruijff, S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomedicine
Cancer
Cancer Research
Content Area Writing
Feedback
Medical education
Medical schools
Medical students
Oncology
Pharmacology/Toxicology
Student Satisfaction
Summer Programs
Summer Schools
Teaching
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Summary:For more than two decades, the International Summer School Oncology for Medical Students (ISOMS) has organized a biennial 2-week international summer school program in Groningen, the Netherlands. The summer school aims to increase knowledge about general cancer care, reduce fear of talking to cancer patients, and expose students to cancer-related problems. After 22 years, there was a need to improve the summer school format, the application procedure, and the intensity of the course. Here, we describe and evaluate these and additional changes that were made to the program. Several changes were made to the summer school format. The course was shortened from 10 days to a more intensive 7 days. The scientific program was integrated with the clinical program and students were taught scientific writing and presentation skills. The application process involved a personal video pitch. Importantly, the new summer school format was organized by a committee in which medical students had the lead. To evaluate the changes to the summer school, we conducted knowledge tests and regularly obtained feedback. There was a high overall student satisfaction, with a median score of a 9 out of 10. Students appreciated the interactive sessions and practicals and the scientific program, and were satisfied with the course level. All students had improved test scores. Improvement points highlighted the need for a less packed schedule and more lectures on basic oncology principles, or were related to specific lectures. The student-led innovation and adaptation of the ISOMS has been successful.
ISSN:0885-8195
1543-0154
DOI:10.1007/s13187-020-01944-6