Teaching in radiation oncology: now and 2025—results of a focus group with medical students

PURPOSE: In Germany, the new Licensing Regulations for Physicians 2025 (Ärztliche Approbationsordnung, ÄApprO) define a binding legal framework on the basis of which medical faculties modernize their curricula. Since 2015, the National Competence Based Learning Objectives Catalogue for Medicine 2.0 (Nationaler Kompetenzbasierter Lernzielkatalog 2.0., NKLM) formulates competencies and learning objectives to be achieved in the course of studies as curriculum orientation for the medical faculties. In addition, about 80% of the areas of a new core curriculum are to be made compulsory. A needs analysis in the target group of students has not yet taken place for the subject of radiation therapy (RT) or radiation oncology (RO). This study therefore surveys the experiences and requirements of students regarding medical education in RT. METHODS: Qualitative single-center study using a semistructured in-depth focus group with 11 medical students (20–26 years; 6 female, 5 male) was conducted. Brainstorming sessions were conducted in small groups and individually; oral contributions were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis according to Mayring. Results were compared with the content of the future curriculum and reviewed for congruence with current expert recommendations of the German Society of Radiation Oncology (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Radioonkologie, DEGRO). RESULTS: The plans to develop a longitudinal and practice-oriented curriculum was positively received by students. Specifically, students wanted to introduce the basics of RT as an early link to practice in preclinical teaching units. The necessary acquisition of communicative skills should also be taught by lecturers in RO. Methodologically, regular digital survey tools for self-monitoring, discussion rooms, and problem-based learning were named. In the perception of students, the subject appears underrepresented in relation to its relevance in the multimodal therapy of oncological diseases. CONCLUSION: Results of the needs analysis for the subject of RT are consistent with ÄApprO, NKLM, and DEGRO. Moreover, they complement them and should be considered in the curriculum development of Masterplan Medical Education 2020 (Masterplan Medizinstudium 2020). The results contribute to high-quality and target-group-oriented medical training in the subject of RT, increased visibility, and thus early bonding of future physicians to RO in Germany.