Variation in musculoskeletal oncology training and rotation in Orthopedic residency programs: a survey across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa teaching institutes

Abstract

Introduction: There is a significant variation in musculoskeletal oncology exposure during orthopedic residency program in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan

Objective: To evaluate the disparity in orthopedic oncology rotations amongst different Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) teaching institutes.

Materials & Methods: A postal survey was conducted from July 1, 2021, to January 31, 2022, at the Department of Trauma & Orthopedic Surgery at Rehman Medical Institute, Peshawar. Questionnaires with 15 components were designed and distributed postally among orthopaedic residents. Simple numerical calculations were required for statistical analysis in this study and hence Microsoft Excel 2013 was used for data entry and calculations.

Results: Fifty percent of the residents were exposed to 1-5 musculoskeletal oncology patients/month in an OPD or emergency department; 55% of residents denied any exposure to a dedicated MSK oncology rotation in their training; 46% of residents did not receive any oncology rotations during their training, and 82% of residents believed that having a dedicated MSK oncology rotation will help them in passing their residency exit exam.

Conclusion: A large percentage of residents do not have a specialized oncology rotation during their residency. Furthermore, the number of weeks residents spend on a dedicated oncology rotation, the post-graduate year in which residents rotate on an oncology service, and the location in which residents receive their oncology training, as well as the number of cases per rotation and dedicated lectures, vary greatly among KP training institutes.