School cancer-education service-learning linked to short-term gains among medical students and pupils

A pre/post evaluation of school-based cancer education found that medical students participating in a supervised service-learning program had higher teaching self-efficacy and cancer-related knowledge after the program. Among 23 participants, mean scores increased for self-regulatory teaching efficacy, from 2.58 to 3.07, and dyadic-regulation efficacy, from 2.33 to 2.90; both differences were statistically significant at p < 0.01. The study, summarized in the supplied abstract, was limited to short-term outcomes and did not assess the durability of the observed changes.

Medical students took part in observations, lectures, preparation and teaching sessions under an experienced oncologist. Researchers assessed teaching self-efficacy with the Physician Teaching Self-Efficacy Questionnaire and assessed cancer knowledge and literacy with the Japanese Cancer Intelligence Quotient. Medical students’ mean cancer-knowledge score rose from 39.9 before the program to 42.9 afterward, while their mean cancer-literacy score increased from 28.2 to 37.2. Both changes were statistically significant at p < 0.01. These are pre/post associations within the participating student group, rather than evidence from a randomized comparison.

The evaluation also included 1,210 pupils, whose cancer literacy was measured before and after instruction. Pupils showed improved cancer-related literacy, but the analysis found no statistically significant difference between physician-led and medical-student-led programs. Adjusted scores were 33.4 for physician-led and 33.1 for student-led classes, and the analysis of covariance did not detect a between-group difference (F(1, 1207) = 1.85, p = 0.17, partial η² < 0.01). The result therefore does not establish that the two lecturer types were equivalent, nor does the abstract report a significant pre/post increase separately for each pupil group.

Based on the abstract, participation in school-based cancer education was associated with short-term improvements in medical students’ teaching self-efficacy, cancer knowledge and cancer literacy, while pupils also improved in cancer literacy overall. The evidence does not establish long-term retention, effects in other institutions or populations, or superiority of either physician-led or student-led instruction. The authors noted that further research is needed to evaluate long-term outcomes and broader implementation.

Subject of Research: Pre/post evaluation of medical-student service-learning in school cancer education

Article Title: Evaluating a service-learning program: benefits of integrating medical students into school cancer education on teaching skills and cancer knowledge

Article References: Minamitani, M., Katano, A., Ohira, S., Mizumoto, J., & Nakagawa, K. (2026). Evaluating a service-learning program: benefits of integrating medical students into school cancer education on teaching skills and cancer knowledge. BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-026-10473-7

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12909-026-10473-7

Keywords: medical education, service-learning, school cancer education, teaching self-efficacy, cancer literacy, medical students, school pupils, pre/post evaluation, Evaluating, program, benefits, integrating