Workforce Symposium
Future Directions in Cancer Prevention & Control: Workforce Implications for Training, Practice and Policy
Saturday, October 17 - Sunday, October 18, 2009
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Cancer Prevention Building
Houston, Texas
Recent workforce reports have predicted shortages in a variety of medical subspecialties, including oncology. Workforce problems are compounded by the need for diversity in the health care workforce, which is particularly relevant to cancer as widely recognized disparities exist in cancer health outcomes and the need to translate prevention discoveries into interventions that have a positive impact on such disparities is critical. Notably, no workforce reports have considered the impact of cancer prevention activities on the future burden of cancer or focused on workforce needs in cancer prevention.
Cancer prevention plays a significant role in the battle against cancer.
Indeed, for the first time since cancer surveillance in the United State began, both incidence and mortality rates have declined in the same year. This results in part from major advances in both treatment and prevention. However, while we must continue improving approaches to cancer treatment, we must redouble our efforts to improve and expand prevention activities and to create novel approaches in cancer prevention to reduce the burden of cancer on our society, including the anticipated impact of a workforce shortfall in medical oncology in 2020. Thus, for now and in the future, to reduce the burden of cancer on the health of the public requires a coordinated plan to ensure the continued recruitment and preparation of a strong and diverse cancer prevention workforce.