Identifying Predictors of Success in Contouring Education Among Radiation Oncology Trainees

Committee/Faculty

Co-Author(s)

PE

Paige Eansor

MSc
Western University
London, Ontario, Canada

Disclosure: Disclosure information not submitted.
MN

Madeleine Norris

PhD
University of California San Francisco
San Francisco, California, United States

Disclosure: Disclosure information not submitted.

Presenting Author(s)

LD

Leah A. D'Souza

MB BCh BAO
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois, United States

Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.

Co-Author(s)

GB

Glenn Bauman

MD
London Health Sciences Centre
London, Ontario, Canada

Disclosure: Disclosure information not submitted.
ZK

Zahra Kassam

MD
St. Joseph's Health Care
London, Ontario, Canada

Disclosure: Disclosure information not submitted.
EL

Eric Leung

MD
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre - Odette Cancer Centre
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Disclosure: Disclosure information not submitted.
AN

Anthony Nichols

MD
London Health Sciences Centre
London, Ontario, Canada

Disclosure: Disclosure information not submitted.
MS

Manas Sharma

MD
London Health Sciences Centre
London, Ontario, Canada

Disclosure: Disclosure information not submitted.
KT

Keng Yeow Tay

MD
London Health Sciences Centre
London, Ontario, Canada

Disclosure: Disclosure information not submitted.
VV

Vikram Velker

MD
London Health Sciences Centre
London, Ontario, Canada

Disclosure: Disclosure information not submitted.
AW

Andrew Warner

MSc
London Health Sciences Centre
London, Ontario, Canada

Disclosure: Disclosure information not submitted.
KW

Katherine Willmore

PhD
Western University
London, Ontario, Canada

Disclosure: Disclosure information not submitted.
NC

Nicole Campbell

PhD
Western University
London, Ontario, Canada

Disclosure: Disclosure information not submitted.
David A. Palma, MD, PhD, MSc, FRCPC

MD
London Health Sciences Centre
London, Ontario, Canada

Disclosure: Disclosure information not submitted.

Purpose: Although numerous contouring instructional programs are available to radiation oncologists and trainees, very little is known about which students benefit most versus which student may need alternate approaches to teaching. This study aimed to determine the factors that were predictors of learners' success in anatomy, radiology, and contouring education.

Methodology: Participants in the online and face-to-face (F2F) Anatomy and Radiology Contouring (ARC) Bootcamp completed pre- and post-intervention evaluations, assessing anatomy/radiology knowledge, contouring skills, self-confidence, and spatial ability.

Results: One hundred and eighty (F2F: n=40; online: n=140) participants enrolled in the ARC Bootcamp and fifty-seven (F2F: n=30; online: n=27) participants completed both evaluations. Of the participants enrolled, 37% were female. Most participants were RO residents (62%), followed by ‘other’ programs (23%), such as medical physics residents or medical students. In the anatomy/radiology knowledge testing, all quartiles improved numerically, though, the largest improvements occurred in students with the lowest baseline scores (p < 0.001). At the end of the Bootcamp, students with lower-performing scores did not reach the level of students with the highest baseline scores (bonferroni-corrected p< 0.001). Regarding the contouring assessment, contouring improvements were only evident for the lower-performing participants at baseline (p < 0.05). Self-confidence in contouring does not correlate with contouring ability. Overall, the greatest improvements were seen for students in PGY 1–3, those with no previous rotation experience in a given discipline, and those who attended who were from ‘other’ programs.

Conclusions: The ARC Bootcamp improved all levels of performers' anatomy and radiology knowledge but only lower performers' contouring ability. The course alone cannot help lower-performing learners reach the abilities of higher-performers. The ARC Bootcamp tends to be most beneficial for participants with less radiation oncology experience. Curriculum modifications can be made to help support ARC Bootcamp participants at risk.

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