The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Department of Radiation Oncology offers a comprehensive rotation for medical students interested in radiation oncology. MSKCC as an institution treats a large diversity of clinical cases, including a significant amount of rare tumors. Given the Radiation Oncology Department’s breadth of faculty, expertise in brachytherapy, and deeply involved residents, medical student training at Memorial is a unique and unparalleled experience. Students who have completed a rotation with us have found it both a rigorous and rewarding experience.
Medical students are fully integrated into our Department and are welcome and encouraged to participate in all resident and departmental activities, including resident didactics, Grand Rounds, and chart rounds. In addition, medical students are welcome to participate in conferences interesting to them elsewhere in the institution outside of our Department.
Our Department also participates in a didactic and hands-on curriculum designed by Radiation Oncology Education Cooperative Study Group (ROECSG). Students will receive dedicated instruction in history and general radiation oncology, radiation biology and physics, clinical workflow, and radiation oncology emergencies. Students will also participate in a hands-on workshop to create a mock radiation plan, gaining skills in contouring, setting beams, and both calculating and evaluating and radiation treatment plan.
Medical students have the option to focus on one disease site per week (breast, central nervous system, lung, head and neck, genitourinary, gastrointestinal, gynecologic, or lymphoma) and to work with various attendings during the month. In the last week of their elective, medical students present cases to the faculty and residents.
If you are a medical student, you can apply for a four-week radiation oncology elective. Applications are processed through our Graduate Medical Education (GME) office.
When your application has been reviewed and processed, you will receive a confirmation directly from the GME office indicating your status for the elective. If you are accepted for the elective, the program coordinator will contact you regarding your elective preferences about a week prior to the start of the elective.
Inquiries may be submitted to the program coordinators, Amelia Templeton templeta@mskcc.org and Melissa Dawson dawsonm@mskcc.org.