Keeping Oncologists Current Through the Power of Education

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the US, with about 228,150 new cases diagnosed in 2019 and approximately 143,000 deaths reported annually.¹ Treatment for lung cancer varies widely depending upon the type of cancer targeted (small cell or non-small cell), the stage of the cancer, as well as other factors, with innovative therapeutic strategies emerging every year.

Online CME as a change agent
As these new cancer treatment approaches evolve, it is more important than ever for oncologists to stay up to date with the latest information on how to achieve the best outcomes for their patients. Online continuing medical education (CME) is a demonstrably effective option² for preparing oncologists to integrate therapeutic discoveries into clinical practice-offering high-value education rooted in science in formats that match oncologists’ learning preferences. 

Online CME personalizes learning by identifying gaps in knowledge and skill through pre-activity assessment of participants, and subsequently delivering independent, accurate, unbiased, and scientifically rigorous educational content via formats that are clinically relevant and interactive in nature.

“As treatment options for lung cancer increase at a staggering speed, educating the practicing oncologists and care teams in real time is critical to ensure that patients are benefiting from the scientific advances,” says Suresh Ramalingam, MD, FACP, FASCO, Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Emory University School of Medicine. “Independent CME programs, such as the ones offered by Medscape Oncology, play a major role in ensuring rapid dissemination of new knowledge to ensure quick adoption of new standards of care in the academic and community settings.” 

Medscape Oncology has an unparalleled and unique relationship with its community of oncologists as an independent resource to them throughout their daily workflow. Across Medscape’s diverse pillars-News & Perspective, Drugs & Diseases, Education, Business of Medicine, Journals, and Medscape Consult-clinicians find value throughout their careers. Medscape is the leading provider of online CME to physicians³ and offers blended learning solutions covering the many types of lung cancers and the treatment options available; moreover, they are committed to delivering precision education when and where clinicians want to learn. A team of experts in lung cancer-including a Steering Committee of world-class oncologists, together with Medscape Oncology’s Medical Education Directors, Clinical Strategists, and Program Managers-guide each program throughout its life cycle to deliver high-quality education.

"We learned from an analysis of cancer immunotherapy activities that timely continuous education designed to meet the learners' needs is impactful, resulting in an average 33% relative improvement from pre- to post-education from 2014 and 2018,” says Katie Lucero, PhD, Medscape’s Director of Outcomes Research. “However, on average, about a third of participants still need more education in the topics covered.”

As treatments for lung cancer continue to evolve, likewise will physician education and CME continue to be of the highest importance in helping oncologists learn what they need to know to improve patient outcomes.

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1. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/index.htm

2. Medscape internal data, 2019

3. DRG Digital, ePharma Physician®, 2019