The multidisciplinary structured clinical instruction module as a vehicle for cancer education.

Background: The Structured Clinical Instruction Module (SCIM) modifies the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) for teaching purposes. This study determined the effectiveness of a breast cancer SCIM in enhancing residents' clinical skills.

Methods: Twenty-five residents, 15 faculty members, and 12 breast cancer patients (simulated and actual) participated in the multistation, multidisciplinary SCIM. Afterward, faculty members, residents, and patients evaluated the SCIM. Residents completed an 18-item self-assessment of their skills before and after the SCIM.

Results: All residents, faculty members, and patients rated the SCIM as either outstanding or above average as an educational experience. The residents' self-assessments of their skills were significantly higher after the SCIM than before.

Conclusions: This study shows that residents are aware of their deficiencies in breast cancer management. The SCIM provides an excellent format for residents to improve their clinical skills.