For Healthcare Professionals
Open Educational Resources for Cancer (OERC) has been developed to provide web-based open access to high quality cancer learning modules to professionals involved in medical education. The intent of this site is to enhance and increase cancer instructional and training capacity for medical educators, physicians, nurses, and paramedical personnel and thus, support the education and expansion of the cancer workforce at all levels.
OERC and its "Cancer Community" will create an open resource repository of cancer educational materials covering diverse aspects of oncology to promote global sharing of cancer educational resources as outlined in the World Health Organization's 2007 Cancer Report. By knowledge sharing, OERC will assist countries and their cancer authorities to develop cancer control strategies and programs. The availability of educational and training materials will enhance the capacities of oncology physicians, nurses and other care givers in developing countries to better diagnose and treat cancer patients. Selected materials will specified for patient and family education.
This open resource repository of cancer educational materials covers diverse aspects of oncology as outlined in the taxonomy on the Home Page of OERC. In addition, OERC will cite references and link to materials which provide free access to advances in basic and clinical cancer research information in user friendly format. OERC materials may also be used for research training and can support the development of a research information exchange and to promote evidence-based cancer care and prevention at a global level. OERC "Voices" provides an open "chat room" for user queries, requests for educational modules and consultation.
The quality of the educational materials cited in OERC will be judged in two ways. Users will rate the quality of each module using the familiar one to five star system and provide indivuals comments. Learning materials will also be evaluated by an expert "editorial panel" who will rank and comment on selected articles and lectures. In addition, users can see the frequency with which a specific module has been seen, utilized and incorporated into individual teaching collections.
OERC Functions for Health Care Professionals
- Join the OERC Cancer Community
- Contribute educational materials: lectures on PowerPoint, videos, curricula, syllabi
- Use educational modules for teaching of others or self
- Evaluate and rate educational modules with comments
- Join OERC Voices chat room for discussion, questions, requests and consultations
The educational materials and information contained in OERC are the opinions and work product of the authors and OERC is not responsible for errors or outdated information. Health care professional users are cautioned to validate the information before use. Lay persons should discuss the information derived from OERC with their physician or other provider before acting on it. Click here for the Acceptable Use Policy and other polices for using resources in MERLOT. 
Join "Voices for OERC Healthcare Professionals"
Participate in a FREE and open online communications network that provides opportunities to connect with other members of the OERC community of healthcare professionals 24 X 7. You can discuss ideas online, write a blog, chat, and post, share, exchange, and comment on documents and videos that can help your professional development as a healthcare professional.
"Voices for OERC Healthcare Professionals" provides a forum for your fellow OERC colleagues to share successes, ask questions, pose problems, and for the OERC colleagues to respond in a timely and simple manner. Click her for the Acceptable Use Policy and other polices for using resources in MERLOT.
Search MERLOT on Your Mobile
MERLOT has partnered with Research in Motion (RIM), makers of BlackBerry® smartphones, to provide you with a convenient tool, MERLOT Mobile Search. Access MERLOT Mobile Search virtually anywhere you take your mobile phone. Search and find learning materials in MERLOT and email them to yourself or to a colleague. All this delivered in a simple interface that makes it easy to search MERLOT when you are away from your computer.
Learn how to download this FREE application to your Blackberry Smartphone.