Educational Value of a Medical Student-Led Head and Neck Cancer Screening Event.

Educational Value of a Medical Student-Led Head and Neck Cancer Screening Event.

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016 Jan 19;

Authors: Freiser ME, Desai DD, Azcarate PM, Szczupak M, Cohen ER, Raffa FN, George JS, Lo K, Nayak CS, Weed DT, Sargi ZB

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate improvement of medical student knowledge of head and neck cancer (HNC) through participation in HNC screening fairs run by medical students.
STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study of surveys assessing medical students' knowledge of HNC before and after volunteering at screening fairs.
SETTING: Four screening fairs held at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine during Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.
SUBJECTS: Medical student screening fair volunteers.
METHODS: Four HNC screening fairs were organized by medical student volunteers. All students completed a preevent survey assessing baseline knowledge and participated in an otolaryngologist-led training session about HNC and the screening examination. During the screening events, students educated guests about HNC and performed physician-guided history and physical examinations. Finally, students completed identical surveys 1 week and 3 months after the event.
RESULTS: Thirty-four (n = 34) students completed the preevent surveys. At baseline, 59%, 44%, and 24% named tobacco, alcohol, and human papilloma virus as risk factors, compared with 84%, 81%, and 69% on 3 month follow-up, respectively. Out of 6 analyzed questions, the median total number of correctly answered questions improved from 2 on pretest to 5 at 3 months (P < .0001).
CONCLUSION: Volunteer participation in a HNC screening program improves medical students' knowledge of HNC risk factors and symptoms. This innovative approach to students' education via participation and organization of screening events is a useful method of improving their HNC knowledge.

PMID: 26786264 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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