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Exploring Family Physician Training Needs to Improve Cancer Patient Care

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Abstract

Family physicians have multifaceted roles in cancer patient care and oncology education among this group is unfortunately inadequate. This study explored the needs and perspectives of family physicians regarding their oncology training and experiences. As well, physician cancer care experiences, knowledge use, and continuing education practices were elucidated. The authors employed a qualitative approach with family physicians participating in semi-structured interviews. General practitioners in oncology were excluded. Purposeful sampling was used, with recruitment through Ontario regional primary cancer care leads and social media. Interviews were transcribed, and thematic analysis was conducted. Thirteen participants were interviewed—1.6:1 female: male, ages 30–39, practicing for an average of 9 years (0.5–30 years), with urban and suburban practices. Most trained in Canada as undergraduates and completed their residency in Ontario; 62% had participated in at least one oncology continuing medical education session. Three major themes emerged: delineation of roles, oncology knowledge and education, and palliative care. Participants reported role uncertainty after cancer diagnosis, with oncology teaching at all levels described as lacking relevance. Palliative care rotations were an avenue for oncology education and where participants returned to cancer care. Changing existing teaching, information access, and avenues of oncology experiences may be the next step to supporting successful cancer care by family physicians.

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Funding

Meredith Giuliani has received compensation for serving on ad boards from AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb. Marissa Sherwood has received funding from a READs grant from the American Association of Cancer Education.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Marissa Sherwood & Meredith Giuliani

  2. Radiation Medicine Program, Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Marissa Sherwood

  3. Cancer Health Literacy Research Centre, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Janet Papadakos

  4. The Institute for Education Research (TIER), University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Janet Papadakos & Meredith Giuliani

  5. Wilson Centre for Research in Education, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Kulamahan Kulasegaram & Maria A. Martimianakis

  6. Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Maria A. Martimianakis

  7. Department of Family and Community Medicine, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Edward Kucharski

  8. Casey House Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Edward Kucharski

  9. The Wilson Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Meredith Giuliani

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  1. Marissa Sherwood
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Correspondence to Meredith Giuliani.

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Ethical Approval

The study was granted approval by The University Health Network (UHN) Research Ethics Board (REB Number 21-5357). All study participants provided informed written consent.

Competing Interests

Meredith Giuliani has received compensation for serving on ad boards from AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb. Marissa Sherwood has received funding from a READS grant from the American Association of Cancer Education. For the remaining authors none were declared.

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Sherwood, M., Papadakos, J., Kulasegaram, K. et al. Exploring Family Physician Training Needs to Improve Cancer Patient Care. J Canc Educ 38, 1834–1844 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-023-02339-z

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