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Are you planning to be a radiation oncologist? A survey by the young group of the Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (yAIRO)

  • Radiotherapy
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Abstract

Background and purpose

The Young Section of the Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (yAIRO) circulated an online questionnaire survey among residents currently enrolled within Italian radiotherapy residency schools to investigate the profiles, motivations, knowledge of the radiotherapy discipline, organizations and the needs of younger members.

Materials and Methods

The survey was developed by the yAIRO steering committee and included questions about the demographic characteristics of the residents (Profile A), the background of their clinical experience during the school of medicine and national residency admission test performance (Profile B) and the residents’ knowledge of the scientific associations active in the field of radiotherapy (Profile C).

Results

Out of 400 residents actually in training, 134 responded to the questionnaire (response rate 33.5%).

According to most of the residents, radiotherapy was not adequately studied during the medical school (n. 95; 71%) and an Internship in Radiotherapy was not mandatory (n. 99; 74%). Only a minority of the residents had chosen to complete a master’s degree thesis in radiotherapy (n. 12; 9%).

A low percentage of the residents stated that they were aware of the Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (AIRO), its young section (yAIRO) and the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) when they were in School of Medicine (respectively, 11%, 7% and 13%).

Conclusions

The results of the survey require a profound reflection on the current teaching methods of Radiation Oncology in our country, highlighting the need for a better integration in the framework of the School of Medicine core curriculum.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Scientific Committee and Board of the AIRO for their critical revision and final approval of the manuscript (Nr. 4/2022). The authors would also like to thank all the residents who are involved in building the future of our discipline with passion and commitment.

Funding

The authors have not disclosed any funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”, 80138, Naples, Italy

    Valerio Nardone

  2. Radiation Oncology, IRCCS, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy

    Luca Boldrini

  3. Radiation Oncology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, 50134, Florence, Italy

    Viola Salvestrini & Isacco Desideri

  4. Research Unit of Radiation Oncology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128, Rome, Italy

    Carlo Greco

  5. Operative Research Unit of Radiation Oncology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo 200, 00128, Rome, Italy

    Carlo Greco & Gian Marco Petrianni

  6. Radiation Oncology, Policlinico Umberto I “Sapienza” University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 326, 00161, Rome, Italy

    Francesca De Felice

  7. CyberKnife Center, Istituto Fiorentino di Cura e Assistenza (IFCA), 50139, Florence, Italy

    Viola Salvestrini

  8. Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50134, Florence, Italy

    Isacco Desideri

Authors
  1. Valerio Nardone
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  2. Luca Boldrini
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  3. Viola Salvestrini
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  4. Carlo Greco
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  5. Gian Marco Petrianni
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  6. Isacco Desideri
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  7. Francesca De Felice
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gian Marco Petrianni.

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Nardone, V., Boldrini, L., Salvestrini, V. et al. Are you planning to be a radiation oncologist? A survey by the young group of the Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (yAIRO). Radiol med 128, 252–260 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-022-01586-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-022-01586-2

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