Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38977978›Full record

ArticleBMC medical education2024

Qualitative evaluation of a multidisciplinary master of cancer sciences: impacts on graduates and influencing curricular factors.

Julia Lai-Kwon, Robyn Woodward-Kron, David Seignior, Louise Allen, Grant McArthur, Michelle Barrett, David L Kok

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medical education, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Julia Lai-KwonVictorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) Alliance, Melbourne, Australia.
Robyn Woodward-KronDepartment of Medical Education, Melbourne Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
David SeigniorMelbourne School of Professional and Continuing Education, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
Louise AllenDepartment of Medical Education, Melbourne Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
Grant McArthurVictorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) Alliance, Melbourne, Australia.
Michelle BarrettVictorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) Alliance, Melbourne, Australia.
David L KokVictorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) Alliance, Melbourne, Australia. dkok@unimelb.edu.au.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEvaluations of continuing professional development programs typically focus on short-term knowledge and skill acquisition. There is a need for more comprehensive program evaluation methods that assess a broader range of impacts and can elicit how and why these outcomes occurred. We conducted a qualitative study to investigate the impacts of a multidisciplinary, online health professional postgraduate degree and to gain insights into the factors that led to these impacts.

methodsParticipants were graduates of the University of Melbourne's Master of Cancer Sciences who could participate in an online interview. Semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted exploring a broad range of impacts, including changes in professional practice and career trajectory since graduation, and how the degree influenced these impacts. Data were analysed inductively.

resultsFifteen participants (female: 80%, 31-50 years old: 67%) from a range of professions were interviewed. A number of major themes were uncovered. Impacts on career trajectory included expanded career horizons (e.g. increased role diversity and complexity), and increased confidence in their professional identity. Impacts on professional practice included individual improvements in patient care and research, as well as changes in organisational practice. Factors identified as leading to these impacts were: (i) active, interactive and interprofessional learning; (ii) networking, informal mentoring, and role-modelling; and (iii) support at multiple levels.

conclusionThis study provides preliminary evidence of the positive impact of a Master of Cancer Sciences on graduate career trajectory and professional practice. In addition, the inductive methodology enabled identification of the curricular features (both planned and emergent) that influenced these impacts, facilitating potential transferability of learnings to other teaching programs.

Indexed as

CurriculumQualitative ResearchAdultEducation, Medical, GraduateFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedProgram EvaluationCancer educationContinuing professional developmentHealthcare professional educationInterprofessional learningMedical educationOncologyOnline educationPostgraduate education

Identifiers

PMID38977978
PMCPMC11229342

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.