Elective Years 3 and 4: Radiation Oncology

Department: Oncology
Title:

Radiation Oncology

Diversification = R1 Radiation Oncology
Location: Cross Cancer Institute
Duration: Maximum of 2 weeks per academic year
Contact:

University of Alberta Students: Dr Adele Duimering, Program Director
Placement Contact: Helena Baines helena.baines@albertahealthservices.ca

Apply through MedSIS

Visiting Canadian Medical Students: visitingelectives@ualberta.ca

**Visiting Students - Contact Helena Baines via email at helena.baines@albertahealthservices.ca to arrange an available time prior to submitting request through the AFMC Student Portal.**
Overview:

The student will see patients selected from the 400 new and 4000 review cancer patients who attend the Institute each month. Emphasis is placed on the diagnosis, history taking, physical examination, and clinical investigation of the cancer patient, as well as the techniques of tumor localization and screening for metastases. The elective provides an excellent opportunity to examine patients with a great variety of malignant tumors and to gain insight into the factors determining cure by radiation, surgery and chemotherapy.

Time is spent with several preceptors who treat different tumor sites giving the student the broadest possible exposure to cancer patients in the various areas of Radiation Oncology.

Radiation Oncology and other clinical rounds will be attended and students will observe the process of design and prescribing of radiotherapy during treatment simulation sessions.

Brachytherapy exposure is not usually a component of the elective experience, but can be arranged with prior notice if required.
Objectives:

Completing this elective should enable you to:

  • develop an understanding of the origins, natural history and incidence of common malignancies.
  • perform oncological clinical assessments including appropriate tumor site specific staging investigations.
  • assess and develop treatment plans for a diverse number of cancers which may be potentially curable, recurrent or metastatic, providing the opportunity to develop an understanding of malignancies with particular emphasis on the use of radiation therapy.
Additional Notes: Eligibility Criteria

  • Undergraduate medical students in Canadian institutions.
  • For students from 4-year programs, completion of a minimum of two years of medical school, prior to the requested date of elective.
  • For students from 3-year programs, completion of a minimum of one year of medical school, prior to the requested date of elective.
  • Submission of requests for elective (internal University of Alberta students) at least 3 months before the requested elective date.
  • Submission of requests for elective (external applications) at least 6 months before the requested elective date.
Priority Policy: In order to utilize all available elective times, priority will be given to earlier applications. Students are to apply as early as possible. When more than 1 student applies at the same time for the same elective period, medical students in the University of Alberta MD program will be given priority over students applying from other centres in Canada.

Visiting Students: NETCARE ACCESS REQUIRED FOR THIS ELECTIVE:

Students MUST request access for Netcare A MINIMUM OF 6 WEEKS before the elective start date. Students who do not place this request before the 6 week deadline will not be granted access. Once visiting students have applied through the AFMC Student Portal and their elective is confirmed, a confirmation email will automatically be generated with further instructions and the online training link for Netcare.
Last Updated: April 12, 2022