Undergraduate education about cancer. A survey of clinical oncologists and clinicians responsible for cancer teaching in Australian medical schools.

Undergraduate cancer education in Australian medical schools is not integrated and there is little evidence of change in content or structure in recent years in spite of major changes in knowledge about cancer epidemiology and cancer biology, and in cancer management. A recent survey of graduating students/interns from all Australian medical schools revealed a disturbing variability in experience and lack of important knowledge. There was evidence of substantial differences in knowledge of, and rating of teaching between the different disciplines involved in cancer control and cancer management. To examine possible reasons for this, we surveyed cancer clinicians and teachers of oncology in the undergraduate curriculum at Australian medical schools. We asked them the same questions of knowledge as the students, and also to comment on the type and emphasis of teaching desirable in the medical students' cancer curriculum. The results indicate not only that the survey instrument was seen to be relevant, but also that some of the bias and misinformation detected in the student experiences may be attributed to attitude, knowledge and differences of opinion of the teachers. The results highlight the need for an integrated cancer curriculum to inform graduates about an illness which will be diagnosed in more than a quarter of the Australian population.