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A Call for New Communication Channels for Gynecological Oncology Trainees: A Survey on Social Media Use and Educational Needs by the European Network of Young Gynecological Oncologists
  1. Kamil Zalewski, MD*,†,
  2. Kristina Lindemann, MD, PhD‡,§∥,
  3. Michael J. Halaska, MD, PhD,#,
  4. Ignacio Zapardiel, MD, PhD**,
  5. Rene Laky, MD††,
  6. Elisabeth Chereau, MD, PhD‡‡,
  7. David Lindquist, MD, PhD§§,
  8. Stephan Polterauer, MD, PhD∥∥,
  9. Vladislav Sukhin, MD, PhD¶¶,# and
  10. Polat Dursun, MD, PhD¶¶,#
  1. *Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Oncology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw;
  2. †Department of Gynaecologic Oncology, Holycross Cancer Center, Kielce, Poland;
  3. ‡The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway;
  4. §NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney;
  5. ∥Department of Medical Oncology, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead University Hospital, Sydney, Australia;
  6. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 3rd Medical Faculty, Charles University; and
  7. #Faculty Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady, Prague, Czech Republic;
  8. **Gynecologic Oncology Unit, La Paz University Hospital, IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain;
  9. ††Division of Gynecology, Medical University Graz, Austria;
  10. ‡‡Institut Paoli Calmettes, Marseille, France;
  11. §§Department of Radiation Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden;
  12. ∥∥Department of General Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria;
  13. ¶¶Department of Gynecological Oncology, Grigoriev Institute of Medical Radiology, NAMS of Ukraine, Kharkov, Ukraine; and
  14. ##Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Baskent University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
  1. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Kamil Zalewski, MD, Department of Gynaecologic Oncology, Holycross Cancer Center, Artwinskiego 3, 25-734 Kielce, Poland. E-mail: zalewski81@gmail.com.

Abstract

Objective The aim of the study was to assess patterns in the use of social media (SM) platforms and to identify the training needs among European gynecologic oncology trainees.

Methods In 2014, a web-based survey was sent to 633 trainees from the European Network of Young Gynaecological Oncologists (ENYGO) database. The 14-item questionnaire (partially using a 1- to 5-point Likert scale) assessed respondents' use of SM and preference for workshop content and organization. Descriptive analysis was used to describe the mean scores reported for different items, and the internal reliability of the questionnaire was assessed by Cronbach α.

Results In total, 170 ENYGO members (27%) responded to the survey. Of those, 91% said that they use SM platforms, mostly for private purposes. Twenty-three percent used SM professionally and 43% indicated that they would consider SM to be a clinical discussion forum. The respondents said that they would like updates on conferences and professional activities to be shared on SM platforms. Complication management, surgical anatomy, and state of the art in gynecologic oncology were identified as preferred workshops topics. The most frequently indicated hands-on workshops were laparoscopic techniques and surgical anatomy. Consultants attached a higher level of importance to palliative care education and communication training than trainees. The mean duration of the workshop preferred was 2 days.

Conclusions This report highlights the significance of ENYGO trainees' attachment to SM platforms. Most respondents expect ENYGO to use these online channels for promoting educational activities and other updates. Using SM for clinical discussion will require specific guidelines to secure professional and also consumer integrity. This survey confirms surgical management and the state of the art as important knowledge gaps, and ENYGO has tailored its activities according to these results. Future activities will further direct attention and resources to education in palliative care and molecular tumor biology.

  • ENYGO
  • Social media
  • Information
  • Gynecologic oncology
  • Training

https://doi.org/10.1097/IGC.0000000000000917

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    Footnotes

    • K.Z. and K.L. contributed equally to the article.

    • The work was funded through the European Network of Young Gynaecological Oncologists budget grant that was provided by the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology.

    • The work described in this article is original and has not been published previously. Data were presented as a poster during the 16th Biennial Meeting of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society in Lisbon, Portugal (2016). This work is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, and the article has been approved by all authors.

    • The authors declare no conflicts of interest.