Musculoskeletal Oncology Training during Residency

• Main Authors: Neil G Burke, Cathal J Moran, Brian Hurson, Sean Dudeney, Gary C O'Toole
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publishing 2011-12-01
• Series: Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1177/230949901101900318

Purpose. To evaluate the efficacy of a musculoskeletal oncology training module during residency. Methods. 24 orthopaedic residents with differing years of experience were recruited. 12 of them received musculoskeletal oncology training for 6 months. The remaining 12 were controls who did not attend the training and had no clinical experience in a musculoskeletal oncology unit but had at least 3 years of postgraduate surgical training. Upon completion, residents in both groups were assessed by a knowledge test and then an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Results. Residents who attended the training module had better mean knowledge test scores (48 vs 25 out of 58, p<0.0001) and OSCE scores (32 vs 22 out of 42, p<0.004), compared to those who did not attend. No residents who attended the training module marked an inappropriate biopsy site that would have compromised definitive surgery, compared to 5 (42%) of the untrained residents who marked an inappropriate biopsy site that may have resulted in an unnecessary amputation. All residents who attended the training module agreed that such a module should be included in the orthopaedic residency programme. Conclusion. Residents who attended the training module were more aware of the biopsy principles and risks. A training module for musculoskeletal oncology should be included in the orthopaedic residency programme.