VMOTG Lectures

MOGA has provided financial support for the establishment of a formal oncology teaching program for the Victorian advanced trainees. The program is being offered by The Victorian Medical Oncology Trainees Group (VMOTG). It is hoped that if successful this program will be extended to include trainees in South Australia and Tasmania in 2009 and trainees in all the remaining States and territories in 2010.

Prior to the commencement of the program training has been in an informal setting, after hours and with no formal curriculum. While the education and time provided by the oncology consultants to training initiatives, the members of the VMOTG identified a need for a more formal structure. Their goal was to target areas where they felt their learning is deficient, particularly focusing on the basic sciences, an area where all trainees may not obtain adequate exposure in the core 2 hospital years.

VMOTG members developed a proposal for the updating and formalisation of the oncology training program to bring it in line with other specialty advanced teaching programs which provide formal, in-hours lectures provided by consultant staff. The program’s education sessions run over 2 hours and consist of a one hour lecture from specialist staff alternating between basic science and tumour streams. The second hour involves presentations and critical appraisal by trainees of two recent randomised controlled trials relevant to the previous topic.

The sessions are available by video/teleconference to regional Victorian centres for those trainees unable to physically attend.