Preceptorship

Preceptorship in Prostate Cancer

The inaugural ANZUP Preceptorship in Prostate Cancer was held on 20 November 2015. The Preceptorship program is a two day intensive learning course based on complete review of literature to understand the evolution of treatment for a particular cancer type, in the context of current treatment paradigms. Under A/Prof Eva Segelov’s leadership, Preceptorships have been successfully conducted in colorectal and lung cancers. This year we extended to both a new tumour stream and new model with multidisciplinary representation.

A GREAT TURN OUT FOR OUR FIRST PRECEPTORSHIP IN PROSTATE CANCER

The targeted participants were trainees and consultants in their first five years of practice, from Medical, Radiation Oncology and Urology backgrounds. They were mentored by prostate cancer experts from all three subspecialties; A/Prof Jeremy Shapiro (Co-Convenor), Prof Ian Davis, Dr Amy Hayden, A/Prof Gavin Marx, A/Prof Declan Murphy, A/Prof Scott Williams, and A/Prof Henry Woo. Participants were asked to identify learning objectives and nominate two seminal papers in prostate cancer. For their assigned papers participants summarised salient features of the clinical trial design, results, limitations and impact on clinical practice in five-six slides for presentation. Preceptors reviewed and provided participants with feedback on their presentations prior to the meeting. Every participant presented at least one seminal paper, followed by commentary from Preceptors and general discussions. Participants also worked in small groups with Preceptors to put together the evidence and come up with pathways for early and late stage prostate cancer management. All papers and slides were kept in a shared Dropbox to allow review of materials prior and during the Preceptorship program, and for future reference.

There were 36 participants, 24 Medical oncology, 8 Radiation Oncology and 4 from Urology disciplines. Fifty-three seminal papers in prostate cancer were presented, covering a wide spectrum in the disease course namely screening, early prostate cancer, definitive treatment for localised disease, adjuvant and salvage treatment, metastatic disease and supportive care. In the ongoing post-preceptorship survey, all participants to date reports the program has met their expectation, with 80% indicating it was above and beyond expectation. The majority felt the program engaged them in active learning (38 mostly, and 57% extremely). 95% of participants also indicated they are likely to make use of the Dropbox in future. All participants stated attendance of Preceptorship has made an impact in their clinical practice in some ways, and for 29% of participants in a significant way.

ANZUP’s involvement was instrumental to the running of this program with Yi Feng providing administrative support. We are also very grateful for the educational grants from Bayer, Astellas, Janssen and Amgen to allow this program to take please. Thank you to all participants and Preceptors this year for your preparations and engagement prior and throughout the course. We hope the Preceptorship program would be supported as a regular feature in ANZUP as part of educational activities in future years to come.

YADA KANJANAPAN Medical Oncology Fellow Assistant Convenor 2015 Preceptorship in Prostate Cancer