THIS REPORT DESCRIBES A STUDY TO DETERMINE WHETHER PROGRAMED INSTRUCTION COULD BE USED TO IMPROVE THE TEACHING OF THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH GYNECOLOGIC NEOPLASMS TO JUNIOR MEDICAL STUDENTS. TWO PROGRAMED TEXTS WERE PREPARED--(1) A "CONTENT" TEXT, AN 830-FRAME LINEARLY PROGRAMED TEXT DESIGNED TO REPLACE CONVENTIONAL CLASSROOM TEACHING OF GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY, AND (2) AN "APPLICATION" TEXT, A 713-FRAME BRANCHING TEXT CONSISTING OF 35 CASE PRESENTATIONS OF PATIENTS WITH REPRESENTATIVE PELVIC TUMORS AND RELATED CONDITIONS. THE PROGRAMING SYTLE USED COMPLEX BRANCHES AND LOOPS, CODED INFORMATION-GATHERING FRAMES, AND REMEDIAL REFERRALS TO "CONTENT" TEXT IN AN ATTEMPT TO SIMULATE ON PAPER THE CRITICAL DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES INVOLVED IN "WORKING UP" AND CARING FOR REAL PATIENTS. AT THE MEDICAL COLLEGE IN 1963-64, AND AT FIVE OTHER MEDICAL SCHOOLS IN 1964-65, EXPERIMENTAL STUDENTS RECEIVED THE "CONTENT" PROGRAMED TEXT AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE CONVENTIONAL CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO THE CONTROL GROUPS. AT THE MEDICAL COLLEGE IN 1964-65, CONTROL STUDENTS RECEIVED THE "CONTENT" TEXT AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDENTS RECEIVED BOTH TEXTS. NO LECTURES WERE GIVEN. THE SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE OF EXPERIMENTAL STUDENTS WAS ACHIEVED WITHOUT AN INCREASE IN THEIR STUDY TIME OVER THAT OF CONTROL GROUPS, AND WITH A SAVING OF FACULTY TIME EQUIVALENT TO THE TIME SPENT IN THE PREPARATION AND PRESENTATION OF THE COURSE'S CONVENTIONAL INSTRUCTION. THE REACTION OF NEARLY ALL STUDENTS TOWARD BOTH TEXTS WAS POSITIVE. THE STUDY PRODUCED THREE PROGRAMED TEXTS, BUT ADEQUATE FIELD TESTING OF THESE TEXTS NEEDS FURTHER DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF APPROPRIATE CRITERION MEASURES. (JL)