3592 - Problem-Based Learning on the WeChat Public Platform in Radiation Oncology Residency Training Programs

Y. Zhai¹, Y. Zhang², Z. Hui³, B. Yongxing¹, H. Zhou², Y. Tang⁴, W. Liu Jr¹, R. Wu¹, L. Deng⁵, T. Zhang¹, M. Zhong², Y. X. Li¹, B. Chen⁴, and S. Wang¹; ¹Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China, ²National Cancer Center, Beijing, China, ³Department of VIP Medical Services, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China, ⁴State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing, China, ⁵Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing, China

Purpose/Objective(s): To date, the study of radiation oncology has not yet been incorporated into the undergraduate medical curriculum in China, facing challenges in specificity, autonomy, and timeliness in residency education. Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered instructional method based on solving specific problems, offering both specificity and learner autonomy. The WeChat public platform, emerging as a new mode of information dissemination in recent years in China, has been widely applied across various fields including science, education, and research, offering excellent timeliness. This study was based on these issues and explored a PBL teaching model for radiation oncology residency training utilizing the WeChat public platform. Materials/

Methods: The WeChat PBL program was initiated in 2019. The study recruited student participants, on a voluntary basis, who were in their first and second years of standardized training in radiation oncology. We selected classic and trending issues in the field of radiation oncology as the two main teaching topics. Students in the PBL group searched for relevant literature, summarizing PowerPoint presentations or academic speeches on specific issues that were published on the professional WeChat public platform after an in-depth review by teachers. The final national standardized training examination scores for resident physicians were used as the standards for evaluating teaching effectiveness. The graduation scores of the PBL and non-PBL groups were compared and a stratified analysis was conducted based on the year of participation to assess the teaching effectiveness of this model. Moreover, questionnaires were administered to evaluate students’ experiences.
Results: Among the 36 students who joined the study in 2018 and 2019, 16 voluntarily joined the PBL teaching group, accounting for 44.0% of the total number. Nine students started teaching PBL in their first year of residency, accounting for 47.4% of the total number that year, and seven started in their second year, accounting for 41.2%. The average graduation scores of the PBL group were superior to those of the non-PBL-focused group for the same grade. The rate of high scores among students in the PBL group (56.3%) was higher than that of students in the non-PBL group (25%). Specifically, first-year residents who joined the PBL group had an average score of 92.3±2.2, which was significantly higher than their non-PBL counterparts, who scored an average of 88.6±4.6, showing a statistically significant advantage (p=0.042). All students were satisfied with the PBL WeChat teaching and would recommend the PBL WeChat course to others.
Conclusion: The PBL residency teaching model on the WeChat platform improved residency scores and garnered student satisfaction.