A unique approach to multidisciplinary cancer education

Background. Almost every health care worker, regardless of specialty, inter acts with individuals who have histories of cancer. Some health care worker s are relatively unfamiliar with the cancer experience and those who are fa miliar with it are interested in additional information. Method. The Mayo C linic Cancer Center Education Subcommittee designed a monthly educational p rogram titled Cancer Connections: A Multidisciplinary Update. The goals of this program were to provide: 1) up-to-date information about cancer issues , 2) a better understanding of various team members' roles in caring for pe ople with cancer, 3) insight into patients' responses to the diagnosis and treatment of their cancers, and 4) greater awareness of the resources avail able to cancer patients and their families. Each session consists of a "pan el" of presenters: three healthcare professionals and a patient. Results an d Discussion. The success of this program is reflected in the regular high attendance and consistently positive evaluations of the participants.