Importance of an Oncology Interest Group in Medical School: Experience from a Developing Country

Abstract

Globally, the incidence of cancer is rising and along with it the demand for a multi-disciplinary oncology workforce. However, in most low and middle income countries (LMICs), there remains a scarcity of oncologists which may be attributable to graduates not pursuing training in the field. This commentary elaborates upon the role of oncology interest groups in undergraduate medical education and provides a perspective from an interest group in Pakistan. The decision to train in a particular sub-specialty depends on various factors including the clinical experiences during medical school. Exposure to a particular specialty through clinical rotations, research, and mentorship can encourage students to pursue that field later on. Student interest groups can further play a role in fostering interactions between students, faculty, and patients that can subsequently contribute to increasing awareness and interest in a particular field such as oncology. This is particularly relevant in LMICs where the inclusion of cost-effective strategies such as student lead interest groups in undergraduate medical education can augment the oncology workforce.

Keywords: Cancer; Cancer awareness; Developing countries; Medical students; Oncology; Student interest group; Student-led initiative; Training; Undergraduate medical education.