Education and training of senior house officers in clinical oncology departments.

A survey of clinical oncology departments has been undertaken to ascertain the educational training of senior house officers (SHOs). Questionnaires were sent to the clinical directors of all UK clinical oncology departments, who were asked to forward questionnaires to individual SHOs. Replies were received from 26 of 54 departments, identifying 88 SHO posts and, from these, 48 SHOs have returned questionnaires. The clinical directors considered that the main function of the SHOs was to supervise the care of ward patients, but that gaining experience in oncology was also important. Forty-four of the 88 posts (50%) were part of a fixed medical rotation. Twenty-three of 26 (88%) departments had a designated consultant to supervise SHO training. In 22 of the 26 (85%) departments there was protected teaching time for SHOs, the majority organized and carried out by consultant clinical oncologists. SHOs in clinical oncology departments are pluripotential; many pursue careers other than clinical oncology and have differing career objectives. Thirty-one of 48 (65%) SHOs considered that the post had met their expectations. Recommendations are made for the maintenance and improvement of the educational opportunities for SHOs in clinical oncology departments.