Strengthening Pediatric Oncology Capacity Through Online Learning: Insights from an Inaugural Course for Physicians in a Low-Resource Setting
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Clinical Trial
Abstract: Background: In low-and-middle income countries (LMIC), childhood cancer outcomes are poor because of multiple factors including delayed diagnosis, which may be due to limited healthcare professional training and ineffective referral systems. Objective: To evaluate the impact of a newly developed blended-learning pediatric oncology course designed for physicians in Pakistan. Materials and Methods: A pre-and-post interventional study was conducted at Indus Hospital and Health Network to evaluate the effectiveness of a pilot pediatric oncology course from 2nd September till 29th November, 2024. The study was reviewed by the Institutional Ethical Review Committee (IHHN_IRB_2025_08_004) (18-Aug-25) and was granted exemption. Twenty doctors were enrolled in the course that included recorded lectures, case-based discussions, and live interactive sessions. A 5-point Likert scale was used to assess knowledge of pre- and post-module. Participants' performance was assessed by end-of-module exam scores, and course content and delivery satisfaction by online questionnaire. Result: Seventeen physicians successfully completed the course and were included in the analysis. Overall performance in the end-of-module assessments demonstrated good knowledge acquisition across all modules, with the highest scores observed in the palliative care module and comparatively lower scores in solid tumor module. Participants also showed substantial improvement in their self-perceived knowledge across all learning objectives following completion of course. Despite issues related to technology, participants reported high satisfaction, which was reflected in positive ratings for course organization, clarity, and relevance. Conclusion: The inaugural e-learning pediatric oncology course was associated with improvements in participant’s perceived knowledge and confidence, highlighting the role of structured online training in strengthening capacity in LMICs. Development of improved version of similar multidisciplinary training programs could further contribute to improving early diagnosis and management of childhood cancers by enhancing physician’s knowledge and awareness of pediatric oncology.
Institutions: Indus Hospital, Indus University
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7166558017