Integrating positive psychology into undergraduate oncology education: development and evaluation of the 4C-HOPE teaching model.

BACKGROUND

Oncology education often focuses on disease burden and mortality, which may reduce students' learning interest and reinforce negative perceptions of cancer. Although positive psychology has shown educational benefits in promoting motivation, resilience, and professional development, its integration into oncology education remains insufficiently explored.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of a positive psychology-integrated oncology teaching model (4C-HOPE) in undergraduate medical education.

METHODS

Sixty-eight undergraduate medical students at Sun Yat-sen University participated in the 4C-HOPE teaching intervention during the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) chapter of their oncology course. Knowledge tests and questionnaires were administered before and after the intervention to assess educational outcomes. Student satisfaction and subsequent clinical clerkship performance were also evaluated.

RESULTS

Knowledge test scores improved significantly, with the median score increasing from 60 to 100 (P < 0.001). The proportion of students reporting strong interest in learning about HCC increased from 50.0% to 85.0% (P < 0.001). Agreement that physicians should provide holistic care increased from 89.7% to 95.0% (P = 0.480), while willingness to apply positive psychology-based communication skills increased from 60.3% to 77.5% (P = 0.089). Overall, 87.5% of students expressed high satisfaction with the teaching model. During subsequent clerkships, students exposed to the 4C-HOPE model achieved higher examination scores than controls (81.49 ± 7.87 vs. 77.45 ± 8.58, P = 0.014).

CONCLUSIONS

The 4C-HOPE teaching model significantly improved knowledge acquisition and learning interest among undergraduate medical students, with favorable trends in holistic care awareness and communication willingness. The sustained benefits observed in clerkship performance further support its pedagogical value. This model offers a feasible framework for fostering both academic learning and professional development in oncology education.