Importance of a standardized oncology curriculum in Malaysia

The incidence of cancer in Malaysia is risingalarmingly and newly qualified doctors will be expectedto be competent in the basic management of cancerpatients. However, the opportunity to gain experiencein oncology management will remain limited unlessthese students are stationed in an oncology unit whichis solely dedicated to the treatment of such patients.Therefore, it is essential that undergraduate medicalschool training equips students with a sound knowledgebase,so that they can confidently manage basicOncological conditions appropriately. With the manyprivate and local medical universities across the country,it is important that oncology training be standardizedand reflective of the local resources available, andgovernment health policies. As a result, having astandardized curriculum would help create a frameworkwhereby competencies in cancer management would beaccurately assessed.