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The University of Washington Department of Radiation Oncology welcomes rotating medical students. One month in person and two week virtual clerkships are available. We welcome students both from the University of Washington and other schools of medicine. In the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic we are not offering in person visiting clerkships, but virtual clerkships are available.
The goal of rotations in our department is to introduce students to radiation oncology and its role in the management of patients with cancer. We expect rotating students to improve their skills in taking a focused history and physical examination, particularly with emphasis on the cancer-specific details. We hope that at the end of the rotation, students will have a better sense of how and when radiation may play a role in the treatment of a patient, and when it may not. This requires not only understanding some nuances of radiation oncology, but also the disciplines of surgical and medical oncology, as well as our coordination of treatment with other services such as pain management, nutrition and rehabilitation.
Students interested in the virtual clerkship should apply through the AAMC Visiting Student Learning Opportunities™ (VSLO®).
Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy (https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/). Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/).
In order to plan accommodations that will avoid possible delays in course/clerkship end dates, UW SOM recommends students complete the Religious Accommodation Request Form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/) in advance of the start date of their course or clerkship.
For current information regarding what to do for a needleprick, or if you are exposed to a bloodborne pathogen during your clerkship experience, visit http://www.uwmedicine.org/education/Pages/body-fluid-exposure.aspx.
This is a no-credit opportunity designed to introduce you to the basics of radiation oncology and help you decide if you want to look into the specialty further. Medical students will shadow attendings and residents to gain valuable insight into the collaborative nature of caring for patients with cancer.
In this two-week clerkship students participate in multidisciplinary clinics that bring together providers across specialties to provide care and support to patients in a single setting. While each clinic is unique, common specialties included in these clinics besides radiation oncology are: medical oncology, [another specialty], and [another specialty].
In this two- or four-week clerkship, students rotate with radiation oncology faculty for a deeper look into patient care and cancer management. Students learn about indications for, side effects of, and physical principles of radiation therapy. They will participate in consultations, radiation planning, and seeing patients during their radiation treatments. Students will learn about the role of medical physics in radiation therapy although prior experience or comfort with physics is not expected. They will also see how radiation oncology partners with medical oncology, surgery and other disciplines in the care of cancer patients. The clerkship is appropriate both for students considering a career in radiation oncology and students planning careers and other specialties but just interested in learning more about the care many patients experience.
The University of Washington participates in the AAMC’s Visiting Student Application Service. All visiting students interested in rotating in our department must complete an application through VSAS and be approved by the University of Washington School of Medicine’s visiting student program, before the department will review your application.
Visiting medical student can apply through VSAS to enroll in R ONC 695, either for a two- or four-week rotation. Completing a rotation in our department does not guarantee interviews in our residency selection process. Currently the RadOnc 601A clerkship is not offered to non UW students.
To check status of your application, contact: visitstu@uw.edu
The UWSOM supports students’ access to healthcare and strongly encourages them to obtain and maintain health insurance while enrolled at the UWSOM.
The consolidated content on the links below has been created by collaboration between students and the UWSOM student affairs to ease of referencing for student related health information. All three sources will be updated centrally by student affairs and the Student Committee on Healthcare Access (SCoHA).
If you have questions regarding the content, please reach out to adminsa@uw.edu.