This is the first study specifically evaluating the role of a Radiation Oncology Student Interest Group (RO-SIG) in increasing interest in radiation oncology for pre-clinical medical students. This study found that prior to participation in RO-SIG events, the majority of student group members had only a minimal to basic understanding of radiation oncology. This highlights the lack of teaching about the field of radiation oncology during the preclinical years. Participation in RO-SIG events increased participants’s understanding of the specialty. In addition to teaching students more about the field, our study found that participation in RO-SIG events had the positive effect of increasing interest in oncology and radiation oncology, specifically. On the part of RO residents and faculty, participation increased students’ perception of the accessibility of mentors in the field.

Previous studies investigating the effect of early exposure to radiation oncology through a preclinical elective program have also found that exposure to the field increased interest in radiation oncology [7, 8]. In a time where there has been a noted decrease in residency applicants to radiation oncology, RO-SIGs and related activities that promote early exposure to the field may serve as a way to counteract this decline. This study assessed the efficacy of an RO-SIG which organized a specialty panel, shadowing experiences, and a mock tumor board. Prior studies have assessed the effect of introducing students to radiation oncology through similar activities. One study found that medical student shadowing during tumor boards significantly increased interest in both radiation oncology as well as improved understanding of the field [9]. Another study sought to expose medical students to the field through a Pre-Clerkship Residency Exploration Program, which was an elective that allowed students to rotate through the radiation oncology department [10]. Participants endorsed a growth in their perception of radiation oncology in a variety of areas including their understanding of the patient population, career outlook, and research opportunities. Participants also noted they were able to learn more about radiation oncology from residents; prior to this experience, students did not rank learning from residents as a significant source of information. A separate study explored the efficacy of starting a structured didactic program for students participating in a radiation oncology clerkship [11]. Students responded positively to this curriculum, noting that it increased their understanding of the specialty and helped with their specialty decision-making. Overall, this study and previous studies at other institutions demonstrate that medical students respond positively to early exposure to radiation oncology and are likely to have an increased understanding of the specialty through these early hands-on experiences.

In this study, perceived accessibility to mentorship in the field increased after participation in RO-SIG events. Mentorship in radiation oncology has been a subject of previous studies as well. Mentorship programs have been received positively by participants, with mentees noting that such programs have increased their confidence in accomplishing career goals [12]. Participation in these programs also provided mentees with additional research exposure and opportunities to publish research [12,13,14]. One study found that 29.3% of participants from a radiation oncology mentorship program went on to apply into the specialty [14]. A study completed at Boston University showed that of students that successfully matched into radiation oncology between 2005 and 2020, approximately 81% participated in a structured mentorship program [15]. Overall, medical students respond positively to the opportunity to learn from mentors in the field and it is likely linked to increased interest in the field. Objective measures of research productivity and future application into the specialty are also increased by mentorship programs.

Limitations of this study are that it is a single-institution study with a small sample size. Additionally, not all respondents to the pre-survey completed the post-survey. Future studies could incorporate surveying students from multiple institutions. As we continue to develop our shadowing program, it will be interesting to compare whether there is a difference in student engagement following participation in a career panel compared to spending time in a clinic shadowing. It would also be interesting to have a follow-up study of survey respondents to determine if they ultimately applied to radiation oncology.

The RO-SIG provides further evidence of the value in providing medical students with early exposure to radiation oncology. Students also respond positively to mentorship in the field. In the future, it would be beneficial to explore the success of piloting a mentorship program that pairs attendings and residents with members of the RO-SIG. This study specifically demonstrates the efficacy of student interest groups and proposes events that have been well-received by students, which other institutions could apply as a starting point in piloting a student interest group for their student body. As a specialty that has experienced a decline in applicants in recent years, this study highlights how early exposure to the field could serve as an antidote to this trend.