Elective Course Description
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Department of Radiation Oncology treats over 250 patients daily, in ten therapy suites equipped with ten high-energy linear accelerators. Oncology patients are treated with radiation alone or with programs integrating surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. The department uses state‐of‐the‐art Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy in addition to other advanced treatment techniques including an active stereotactic radiosurgery program and Image Guided Radiation Therapy. The department works closely with a large medical physics staff, as well as surgeons and medical oncologists to accomplish its goals of cancer treatment. Medical students are integrated into the planning, treatment, and follow‐through of the patients. As a result, students can expect to gain considerable clinical experience in the area of clinical oncology. Medical students also attend various didactic conferences highlighting the role of radiotherapy in the management of a wide array of cancers. Students will also have the opportunity to research a clinical topic and prepare a formal presentation to the department.
Learning Objectives
- Obtain a complete and reliable clinical oncology history, with attention to details particularly important in radiation oncology.
- Perform a focused and reliable oncologic examination in patients with multiple different types of cancers in various stages of presentation.
- Organize and deliver a clear, concise, and thorough oral presentation of a patient’s history and examination.
- Gain appreciation for the clinical workflow of radiation oncology, from consultation, to simulation, to treatment planning, and onto treatment.
- Prepare and present a well‐researched topic of their interest that is highly relevant to radiation oncology to the department.
