Introducing High School Students to Radiation Oncology Through a Case-Based School-Work Orientation Program: The "Invisible Scalpel" Experience.

BACKGROUND

Radiation oncology is central to multidisciplinary cancer care but remains poorly visible to students. Early educational exposure may improve awareness of the discipline and of the professional roles involved in radiotherapy. This study evaluated the short-term educational impact of a case-based school-work orientation program for high school students.

METHODS

Between December 2025 and March 2026, 80 high school students participated in the "Invisible Scalpel" program at Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome. The program included 18 h of classroom-based teaching and 12 h of supervised group activities focused on a simulated clinical case. Students explored the roles of radiation oncologists, radiotherapy technicians/radiation therapists, medical physicists, and biomedical engineers. Anonymous pre- and post-program questionnaires were completed by 60 students and analyzed descriptively. Likert scales (1-5) were used to evaluate attitudes towards the discipline.

RESULTS

Baseline knowledge of the purpose of radiotherapy was high, but awareness of professional roles, particularly medical physicists and biomedical engineers, was limited. After the program, all students correctly identified radiotherapy as a cancer treatment, 90% reported being informed about the professional roles involved, and correct identification of the radiation oncologist as responsible for treatment prescription increased from 33.3% to 71.7%. Misconceptions regarding radiation visibility and post-treatment radioactivity decreased. The proportion of students considering radiation oncology as a possible future career increased modestly from 11.7% to 16.6%. Program satisfaction was high, with all respondents stating that they would recommend the experience to peers.

CONCLUSIONS

A case-based, multidisciplinary school-work orientation program was associated with improved knowledge of radiotherapy, reduced misconceptions about radiation safety, and greater awareness of professional roles within the radiotherapy team. Although the short-term effect on career interest was modest, this educational format may represent a feasible model for early exposure to radiation oncology and related healthcare, physics, and engineering careers.