Janice Austin | University of Toronto (original) (raw)
Papers by Janice Austin
Current Oncology, Dec 16, 2021
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Annals of Surgical Oncology, Oct 16, 2020
Current Oncology, 2021
Melanoma metastases to the groin are frequently managed by therapeutic lymph node dissection. Evi... more Melanoma metastases to the groin are frequently managed by therapeutic lymph node dissection. Evidence is lacking regarding the extent of dissection required. Thus, we sought to describe practice patterns for the use of inguinal vs. ilioinguinal dissection, as well as the perioperative/oncologic outcomes of each procedure. A mixed-methods approach was employed to evaluate surgical practice patterns. A retrospective review of three multi-site databases was carried out, together with semi-structured interviews of melanoma surgeons. A total of 347 patients who underwent dissection were reviewed. The main indications stated for adding a “deep” ilioinguinal dissection were palpable or radiologically positive disease. There was no significant difference in complications, length of stay or lymphedema between patients having inguinal vs. ilioinguinal dissection, irrespective of method of diagnosis. There was also no significant difference in recurrence, cancer-specific survival or overall s...
Annals of Surgical Oncology, 2020
Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 2014
Background Throughout their medical education, learners face multiple transition periods associat... more Background Throughout their medical education, learners face multiple transition periods associated with increased demands, producing stress and concern about the adequacy of their skills for their new role. Objective We evaluated the effectiveness of boot camps in improving clinical skills, knowledge, and confidence during transitions into postgraduate or discipline-specific residency programs. Methods Boot camps are in-training courses combining simulation-based practice with other educational methods to enhance learning and preparation for individuals entering new clinical roles. We performed a search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and ERIC using boot camp and comparable search terms. Inclusion criteria included studies that reported on medical education boot camps, involved learners entering new clinical roles in North American programs, and reported empirical data on the effectiveness of boot camps to improve clinical skills, knowledge, and/or confidence. A random effect...
Annals of Surgical Oncology, 2020
Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2014
Journal of Surgical Oncology, 2015
Currently, standard treatment of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is wide local excision and adjuvant ra... more Currently, standard treatment of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is wide local excision and adjuvant radiation, but radiation may be unnecessary in superficial STS. The primary objective is to assess local recurrence rates in patients treated with surgical management alone for superficial STS. A retrospective cancer registry review of patients treated with surgery alone for superficial STS at the Tom Baker Cancer Center (TBCC) was performed. Patient and tumor characteristics as well as recurrence data were collected. Sixty-one patients met study criteria. Local and overall recurrence rates were 7/61 (11.5%) and 12/61 (19.7%), respectively. The proportion with a T2 tumor was 38.8% versus 33.3% (P = 0.69), with Grade 2 or 3 tumors was 59.2% versus 83.3% (P = 0.14), and with resection margins <1 cm was 28.6% versus 75.0% (P = 0.008) for patients without and with recurrence, respectively. Median time to recurrence was 1.7 (0.4-5.2) years. Surgical resection alone appears to be a viable option for superficial STS that can save patients from potential side effects of radiation. The association between recurrence and inadequate margins (<1 cm) requires additional treatment be offered to this subset of patients. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;113:108-113. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Biogeochemistry, 2010
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, a... more JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.
Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 2014
Throughout their medical education, learners face multiple transition periods associated with inc... more Throughout their medical education, learners face multiple transition periods associated with increased demands, producing stress and concern about the adequacy of their skills for their new role. We evaluated the effectiveness of boot camps in improving clinical skills, knowledge, and confidence during transitions into postgraduate or discipline-specific residency programs. Boot camps are in-training courses combining simulation-based practice with other educational methods to enhance learning and preparation for individuals entering new clinical roles. We performed a search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and ERIC using boot camp and comparable search terms. Inclusion criteria included studies that reported on medical education boot camps, involved learners entering new clinical roles in North American programs, and reported empirical data on the effectiveness of boot camps to improve clinical skills, knowledge, and/or confidence. A random effects model meta-analysis was performed to combined mean effect size differences (Cohen's d) across studies based on pretest/posttest or comparison group analyses. The search returned 1096 articles, 15 of which met all inclusion criteria. Combined effect size estimates showed learners who completed boot camp courses had significantly "large" improvements in clinical skills (d = 1.78; 95% CI 1.33-2.22; P < .001), knowledge (d = 2.08; 95% CI 1.20-2.96; P < .001), and confidence (d = 1.89; 95% CI 1.63-2.15; P < .001). Boot camps were shown as an effective educational strategy to improve learners' clinical skills, knowledge, and confidence. Focus on pretest/posttest research designs limits the strength of these findings.
Current Oncology, Dec 16, 2021
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Annals of Surgical Oncology, Oct 16, 2020
Current Oncology, 2021
Melanoma metastases to the groin are frequently managed by therapeutic lymph node dissection. Evi... more Melanoma metastases to the groin are frequently managed by therapeutic lymph node dissection. Evidence is lacking regarding the extent of dissection required. Thus, we sought to describe practice patterns for the use of inguinal vs. ilioinguinal dissection, as well as the perioperative/oncologic outcomes of each procedure. A mixed-methods approach was employed to evaluate surgical practice patterns. A retrospective review of three multi-site databases was carried out, together with semi-structured interviews of melanoma surgeons. A total of 347 patients who underwent dissection were reviewed. The main indications stated for adding a “deep” ilioinguinal dissection were palpable or radiologically positive disease. There was no significant difference in complications, length of stay or lymphedema between patients having inguinal vs. ilioinguinal dissection, irrespective of method of diagnosis. There was also no significant difference in recurrence, cancer-specific survival or overall s...
Annals of Surgical Oncology, 2020
Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 2014
Background Throughout their medical education, learners face multiple transition periods associat... more Background Throughout their medical education, learners face multiple transition periods associated with increased demands, producing stress and concern about the adequacy of their skills for their new role. Objective We evaluated the effectiveness of boot camps in improving clinical skills, knowledge, and confidence during transitions into postgraduate or discipline-specific residency programs. Methods Boot camps are in-training courses combining simulation-based practice with other educational methods to enhance learning and preparation for individuals entering new clinical roles. We performed a search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and ERIC using boot camp and comparable search terms. Inclusion criteria included studies that reported on medical education boot camps, involved learners entering new clinical roles in North American programs, and reported empirical data on the effectiveness of boot camps to improve clinical skills, knowledge, and/or confidence. A random effect...
Annals of Surgical Oncology, 2020
Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2014
Journal of Surgical Oncology, 2015
Currently, standard treatment of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is wide local excision and adjuvant ra... more Currently, standard treatment of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is wide local excision and adjuvant radiation, but radiation may be unnecessary in superficial STS. The primary objective is to assess local recurrence rates in patients treated with surgical management alone for superficial STS. A retrospective cancer registry review of patients treated with surgery alone for superficial STS at the Tom Baker Cancer Center (TBCC) was performed. Patient and tumor characteristics as well as recurrence data were collected. Sixty-one patients met study criteria. Local and overall recurrence rates were 7/61 (11.5%) and 12/61 (19.7%), respectively. The proportion with a T2 tumor was 38.8% versus 33.3% (P = 0.69), with Grade 2 or 3 tumors was 59.2% versus 83.3% (P = 0.14), and with resection margins <1 cm was 28.6% versus 75.0% (P = 0.008) for patients without and with recurrence, respectively. Median time to recurrence was 1.7 (0.4-5.2) years. Surgical resection alone appears to be a viable option for superficial STS that can save patients from potential side effects of radiation. The association between recurrence and inadequate margins (<1 cm) requires additional treatment be offered to this subset of patients. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;113:108-113. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Biogeochemistry, 2010
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, a... more JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.
Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 2014
Throughout their medical education, learners face multiple transition periods associated with inc... more Throughout their medical education, learners face multiple transition periods associated with increased demands, producing stress and concern about the adequacy of their skills for their new role. We evaluated the effectiveness of boot camps in improving clinical skills, knowledge, and confidence during transitions into postgraduate or discipline-specific residency programs. Boot camps are in-training courses combining simulation-based practice with other educational methods to enhance learning and preparation for individuals entering new clinical roles. We performed a search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and ERIC using boot camp and comparable search terms. Inclusion criteria included studies that reported on medical education boot camps, involved learners entering new clinical roles in North American programs, and reported empirical data on the effectiveness of boot camps to improve clinical skills, knowledge, and/or confidence. A random effects model meta-analysis was performed to combined mean effect size differences (Cohen's d) across studies based on pretest/posttest or comparison group analyses. The search returned 1096 articles, 15 of which met all inclusion criteria. Combined effect size estimates showed learners who completed boot camp courses had significantly "large" improvements in clinical skills (d = 1.78; 95% CI 1.33-2.22; P < .001), knowledge (d = 2.08; 95% CI 1.20-2.96; P < .001), and confidence (d = 1.89; 95% CI 1.63-2.15; P < .001). Boot camps were shown as an effective educational strategy to improve learners' clinical skills, knowledge, and confidence. Focus on pretest/posttest research designs limits the strength of these findings.