Stritch School of Medicine - Elective Course Catalog

Introduction

Radiation Oncology (RT)

Dept. Contact	Joseph Plovich
Location	Maguire Center 2944
Phone	708-216-2587
Email	jplovich@lumc.edu

Department: Radiation Oncology

Course Number: RT-401

Course Title: Radiation Oncology

No. of Students: 2

Site: LUMC/HVA

Supervisor: Bahman Emami, M.D.

Duration: 4.0 weeks

Periods Offered: Year round except June

Prerequisite: Completion of Medicine, Pediatrics, OR Surgery clerkship.

Special Note:

Description:
This course is designed for students interested in pursuing radiation oncology as a career or for those who have an interest in oncology. It will be tailored to the student's level and interest. Each student will receive a schedule and is assigned to work with various attending radiation oncologists during the rotation. The student will be responsible for attending multi-disciplinary and radiation oncology clinics and for performing pertinent history and physical exams on specified patients. The student and attending physician will then discuss the pertinent oncologic findings, radiation therapy specific plan as well as overall treatment plan. The student will be responsible for following specified patients while under radiation therapy during their month. Additionally, the student will be responsible for attending all morning conferences, tumor boards, and cancer center conferences.

Rotations will include clinical time at both Loyola University Medical Center and the Edward Hines VA Hospital, which has an affiliation with Loyola’s Department of Radiation Oncology and is adjacent to the Loyola campus. Information about completing the required security clearance documentation needed for gaining access to the Veterans Administration facilities and medical information systems can be obtained through the Radiation Oncology elective coordinator. (See department contact)

At the end of the four-week elective, the student will:
1. Be able to perform history and physical examinations on cancer patients.
2. Be familiar with the presentation, diagnosis, work-up and treatment of cancer patients receiving radiation therapy.
3. Understand the role of radiation therapy in the pallative, curative, and multi-modality setting.
4. Understand the acute and long term effects of radiation therapy.
5. Understand the treatment planning and delivery of various radiation therapy modalities including external beam, brachytherapy, and stereotactic radiation.

Method of Evaluation: The student’s performance will be evaluated by all physicians closely involved with the student’s activities. Additionally, the student will need to give a case-based presentation during one of the requisite morning conferences of a patient seen during rotation.