Development and Evaluation of Foundational Cancer Science Graduate Courses in the Evolving Landscape of Cancer Research.

Abstract

Roswell Park is a free-standing Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York and serves as the academic home to a doctoral program in Cancer Sciences. To meet the evolving cancer research landscape, we developed and implemented a series of sequential Integrated Cancer Sciences (ICS-I, ICS-II, and ICS-III) courses that provide a strong, multi-disciplinary foundational knowledge to graduate trainees, regardless of their eventual specialization. These courses span the entire spectrum of cancer research from basic biology to population science/epidemiology, cancer therapeutics, and clinical oncology and were intentionally developed to prepare trainees for diverse careers in cancer research. The engagement and participation of basic, population science, and clinical faculty was integral for successful implementation of these courses. Survey responses were collected from students who had completed the ICS courses since 2018 to evaluate course content, depth, and perceived value. Ninety-five percent of respondents felt the depth of course content was appropriate for graduate study. A majority of trainees (74%) felt that the ICS courses significantly expanded their knowledge base beyond their immediate interest area. We continue to assess and update the content of ICS courses to better reflect the growing training needs, especially in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).