The purpose of the Society for Translational Oncology (STO), a professional tax-exempt association, is to speed the discovery and translation of important new treatments in the field of cancer medicine to the practice of global oncology. STO brings knowledge and strategies for critical new developments in cancer treatment to the practice of the community oncologist.

To achieve that end, STO provides publications, meetings, and enduring materials that serve to shorten the “translational gap” between discovery and delivery of care to the patient. The foundations of STO’s educational interventions are the improvement of physician competencies and strategies for the screening, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients with cancer; and enhancement of performance-in-practice. STO is a professional association dedicated to the continued education of its members and cancer caregivers, and to the improvement in the quality and safety of care for the patient with cancer.

The Oncologist is the official journal of STO. A premier-tier, peer-reviewed monthly cancer medicine journal, The Oncologist is internationally ranked as one of the most impactful journals dedicated to the continuing education of oncologists and other healthcare givers entrusted with cancer patient care.

Educational Content and Audience

The educational content of STO focuses on areas of medical, radiation, surgical, gynecologic, and pediatric oncology. Its audience is comprised of medical, radiation and surgical oncologists, nurses, researchers and other health professionals.

Types of Educational Programs

STO designs its educational programs to support the achievement of identified educational results. These include live conferences, workshops, Internet webcasts, journal-based articles, and enduring materials including print education, Internet-based activities, and other electronic and digital forms of education. Multiple modalities are utilized to impact change; most interventions utilize interactive technology, non-educational interventions, and focus on quality and safety issues. STO is in joint CME sponsorship with The School of Medicine of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC SOM).

Expected Results

STO is committed to assessing the impact and effectiveness of its CME program and its individual educational interventions in achieving educational goals and outcomes. Educational outcomes measure the degree to which activity objectives are accomplished. Measures include learner satisfaction, knowledge acquisition, behavior modification, practice application and patient outcomes.