I will be doing an elective rotation in my school's radiation oncology department. I know that I will have to give a presentation, so I figure that I might as well prepare one now while I have some time. I go to an institution that is one of the few centers in the world to use a certain type of radiation treatment. (I'm trying to be non-specific!). There was a recent article in the Red Journal questioning the use of this therapy. I would really like to give a presentation that relates to this article as I have a lot of experience with the treatment that the author is questioning. I am concerned, however, that I might be setting myself up for a big fall as many of the doctors in the department have, from what I hear, defended the treatment at national conferences with their lives! Any thoughts?
Controversial Presentations--your thoughts
- Thread starter Reaganite
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I don't see a problem with presenting the article. If you also support the therapy, you may want to briefly present or at least introduce additional literature which supports the treatment--this way, you're showing your support of the therapy and its clinical value, and hence, you may score some "brownie points" 😉
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Weren't you in the department where you couldn't do research b/c some faculty felt they were "burned" in the past by med students going elsewhere for residency? This fact, coupled w/ the fact that some faculty defended a certain therapeutic modality "with their lives" = unecessary risk.
It may be worthwile to do a controversial presentation in certain select cases, but I certainly woudln't do it here. My two cents.
It may be worthwile to do a controversial presentation in certain select cases, but I certainly woudln't do it here. My two cents.
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I guess I assumed that you supported the therapy--if you feel different than most of the faculty members, it may not be the appropriate venue to express your feelings... Of course you're entitled to your own opinions regarding the therapy, but who wants a room full of attendings who don't agree with your judgement?
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you can present the article but present it for what it is: controverial. Also you want to talk with profs you work with who will help you develop the points, including what they feel are flaws with this article. The point is as a student you aren't in a position to have strong feelings one way or another on the topic. As a student at a center with a vested (academic and fiscal) interested in the modality, you have toes to watch out for. So present the topic if it interests in context. go over teh data, how it was done, the flaws, and withing the guidelines the attendings help you with.
Again, you aren't going to be an expert as a student with only the views of a paper and the strong opinion of your attendings. Present the issues and dont editorialize your own views and you should be fine.
Good luck.
Steph
Again, you aren't going to be an expert as a student with only the views of a paper and the strong opinion of your attendings. Present the issues and dont editorialize your own views and you should be fine.
Good luck.
Steph
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i should add: just because people are well versed in something doesnt mean their views are doctrine. what experts BEST do is raise the pertinant questions. A la Eli Glatstein and his concern that IMRT will incraese 2nd cancer risk. Its a legitimate concern. NO ONE can say we have the concern ergo we KNOW this a problem. Some people have a problem with that last part. THey raise an interesting point and it becomes their baby, they get a vested (intellectual) interest in the outcome. Best just to say "I thought of this question; lets find out" than to say "I thought of it, ergo its true".
