Training tomorrow's oncologists: Impact of the oncology interest group at the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla during the 3rd Oncology Congress in Mexico sponsored by ASCO.

Abstract

341 Background: ASCO fosters oncology training through mentorship programs for students. Oncology Student Interest Group-Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (OSIG-BUAP), established in 2022, aims to strengthen oncology education in Mexico. Despite these efforts, there is limited information regarding the perceived pedagogical impact of congresses organized by student oncology groups in the country. This study evaluates the educational impact on participants of the “3rd Oncology Congress for Primary Care Physicians.” Methods: This observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study surveyed 296 attendees using a Google Forms questionnaire that assessed perceptions and the impact of presentations using Likert-type and multiple-choice items. Data analysis was conducted with IBM SPSS v24.0, using non-parametric tests following normality assessment. Analyses included Spearman correlation with bilateral significance, Mann-Whitney U, Chi-square, and Fisher’s exact tests, comparing OSIG BUAP members and non-members. Results: The majority of respondents were women (72%), most of whom were aged 22–25 years. Of those surveyed, 90.2% recognized the importance of congresses addressing various oncology topics for medical students in cancer prevention and early detection. Post-congress, 46.2% felt very prepared to identify warning symptoms, while 97.6% indicated improved skills for timely detection. Furthermore, 87.1% agreed that OSIG BUAP promotes interest in oncology and awareness of the health-disease process of cancer, and 78% expressed interest in joining the association. The event significantly influenced the professional outlook of 71.6% of participants toward oncology. No significant difference was found in the overall impact score between members and non-members (U = 4435.0, Z = -1.757, p = 0.079), although members had a higher mean rank (169.90 vs. 144.96) and a small effect size (r = 0.102). Significant associations were observed with oncological knowledge acquisition (ρ = 0.605–0.779; p < 0.001), perceived congress innovation, and topic selection (ρ = 0.387; p < 0.001). Moderate associations were also found across several subspecialties (ρ = 0.532–0.550; p < 0.001). Additionally, 53.7% rated the organization as satisfactory, and 76.0% approved the hybrid format. Conclusions: The findings indicate that OSIG BUAP has established an interactive environment that connects oncology specialists and students, with a high perceived educational benefit focused on prevention and early detection. While the results suggest educational gains, further objective pre- and post-intervention assessments are needed to validate the learning outcomes. The ASCO and OSIG BUAP initiatives continue to expand oncology opportunities for future generations.