“Hearing the Ovarian Cancer Whisper”: A Pipeline Program Introducing Medical Students to Gynecologic Oncology, Focusing on the Diagnosis and Management of Ovarian Cancer

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Pipeline programs help medical students explore and define future career pathways. The “Hearing the Ovarian Cancer Whisper” (HOW) Dr. Robert C. Knapp Award was created to expose medical students to gynecologic oncology, with emphasis on recognizing, treating, and improving outcomes for patients with ovarian cancer. This study describes and analyzes the characteristics of HOW participants and their eventual residency choices. Method We conducted a non-concurrent cohort study evaluation using the HOW database of medical students who received the Dr. Robert C. Knapp Medical Student Award and completed the four-week gynecologic oncology elective between 2011 and 2025. Baseline information included medical school, sex, and scholarship year. Follow-up information was obtained through phone, email, or text communication and included residency, fellowship, specialty, and practice location. Of 149 award recipients, 24 were excluded because of missing information, nonresponse, dropout, or pending follow-up, resulting in 125 participants in the primary analytic cohort. Results Among the 125 participants included in the primary analysis, 53.6% entered an OBGYN residency and 46.4% another specialty. Three participants subsequently pursued gynecologic oncology fellowship training during the observation period. Most participants were female (84.0%). Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine accounted for the largest proportion of participants (44.0%). The distribution of OBGYN residency entry varied by scholarship year, although the overall association did not reach statistical significance ( p = 0.080). Conclusion These findings describe the longitudinal career trajectories of participants in a gynecologic oncology educational program but do not establish that program participation caused or independently influenced specialty choice.