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An Online Educational Facility for Medical Oncology Trainees: www.vmotg.org

From the Victorian Medical Oncology Trainees’ Group, Melbourne; Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, East Melbourne; and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.

Address reprint requests to Michael Jefford, MBBS, FRACP, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Austin & Repatriation Medical Centre, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084 Australia; email: michael.jefford{at}ludwig.edu.au

PURPOSE: To design, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive educational Web site for medical oncology trainees.

METHODS: The Web site was designed with three main areas (termed Journal Club, Key Papers, and Oncology Links) and compiled from articles presented at the Victorian Medical Oncology Trainees’ Group journal club from the preceding 3 years. The Key Papers section was then reviewed by 30 academic medical oncologists. The site was advertised by mail and at the Annual Meeting of the Medical Oncology Group of Australia. Evaluation was by mail survey.

RESULTS: The Web site, which may be accessed at www.vmotg.org, comprises more than 170 pages and 30,000 words of text. Journal club sessions are summarized with presented articles linked to abstracts from PubMed. Key Papers lists from five to 25 pivotal articles in each of 35 categories. Oncology Links is an extensive list of links in 10 categories including organizations, journals, and practice guidelines. Twenty-six of 45 trainees and 82 of 190 oncologists responded to the survey. Eighty-one percent of these trainees and 28% of oncologists have used the Web site. Ninety-six percent consider the Web site easy to use and "a useful medical oncology resource." All trainees rated the site good to excellent in terms of relevance and 94% considered the site beneficial to their education.

CONCLUSION: The Web site www.vmotg.org is a relevant and useful educational resource for Australian medical oncology trainees and oncologists. As far as the authors are aware, this is the only educational site specifically for medical oncology trainees throughout the world. It may be a valuable oncology education resource for trainees in other countries, particularly those in isolated areas.

Previously presented in poster format at the Thirty-Sixth Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, New Orleans, LA, May 20-23, 2000 (abstract no. 1768).

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