Student Courses
The UC Davis School of Medicine offers a number of educational opportunities within the Department of Radiation Oncology for medical, graduate and undergraduate students:
Radiation Oncology Clerkship — RON 463
The radiation oncology clerkship or externship at the UC Davis Cancer Center introduces medical students to the radiation oncology clinical outpatient experience and the concepts involved in clinical radiation. Students will participate in the workup, treatment planning, and management of a variety of oncology patients, attend multidisciplinary tumor boards and morning teaching rounds, and learn the appropriate delivery of radiation therapy for cancer patients. Open to UC Davis medical students and U.S. visiting students.
Instructor: Ruben Fragoso, M.D., Ph.D.
Course Duration: 2-4 weeks
Quarters: I, II, III, IV
Units: 3-6
Location: UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
Distribution of Students Time: Clinical activity-full time.
Prerequisites: Completion of SUR 430 (surgery clerkship) and IMD 430 (medicine clerkship).
Consent of third-year clinical clerkship instructor required.
Download RON 463 syllabus (PDF) »
For more information: Contact the Course Coordinator, at njrosati@ucdavis.edu.
UC Davis medical students register for this course on eFlight »
U.S. visiting students register for this course through the Visiting Student Application Service (VSAS) »
Radiation Oncology is a unique discipline in that it combines elements of clinical practice linked to complex physics based dosimetry and treatment planning. Included within this clinical environment is a strong basis in biology that underpins the clinical effectiveness of radiation treatment. A study of biology and in particular biological mechanisms can provide an understanding of both better ways to treat cancer and on potential adverse events, such as normal tissue damage.
Research in Radiation Biology — RON 199
Special research study for advanced undergraduates.
Instructor: Jian Jian Li, M.D., Ph.D.
Course Duration: 2-4 weeks
Quarters: I, II, III, IV
Units: 3-6
Location: UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento VA Medical Center
Download RON 199 syllabus (PDF) »
For more information or to register: Contact the Course Coordinator, at njrosati@ucdavis.edu.
Independent Study and Research in Therapeutic Radiology — RON 299
Research under supervision of Radiation Oncology faculty. Work must be appropriate to fulfill the requirements for the Ph.D. degree.
Instructor: Jian Jian Li, M.D., Ph.D.
Course Duration: 4-8 weeks
Quarters: I, II, III, IV
Units: 6-12
Location(s): UC Davis Medical Center, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sacramento VA Medical Center
Distribution of Students Time: Clinical activity is full time
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Download RON 299 syllabus (PDF) »
For more information or to register: Contact the Course Coordinator at njrosati@ucdavis.edu.
Radiobiology Lecture Course — RON 420
Radiobiology Short Course is a series of lectures plus a series of seminars given every other year following the year the Full Radiobiology Course is given. The course consists of one Friday lecture per month. Lectures are designed to keep the physician residents, physics residents and medical students engaged in learning the principles and concepts of Radiobiology during the year the Radiation Physics Course is given.
Instructor: Jian Jian Li, M.D., Ph.D.
Course Duration: 9 months
Quarters: I, II, III
Units: 1
Location: UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
Download RON 420 syllabus (PDF) »
For more information or to register: Contact the Course Coordinator at njrosati@ucdavis.edu.
Independent Study and Research in Therapeutic Radiology — RON 499
This course will serve as an advanced-level research seminar for students interested in clinical and/or translational radiation oncology. The student will be expected to function independently and to work with the course instructor for the purpose of generating a testable hypothesis for scientific research. This course is open to all UC Davis medical students, and 4th year visiting medical students.
** Student researchers will be required to complete a mandatory on-line research training prior to being permitted to work on research with a Principal Investigator. **
Instructor: Jian Jian Li, M.D., Ph.D. and Ruben Fragoso, M.D., Ph.D.
Course Duration: 2-8 weeks
Quarters: I, II, III, IV
Units: 3-12
Location(s): UC Davis Medical Center, UC Davis Comprehensive Cencer Center
Distribution of Students Time: Clinical activity is full time
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Download RON 499 syllabus (PDF) »
For more information: Contact the Course Coordinator at njrosati@ucdavis.edu.
Introduction to Radiation Oncology Physics — RON 211
The introduction to radiation oncology physics course is an overview of treatment methodologies, medical physics equipment and treatment machines, including calibration, machine quality assurance, patient dosimetry, and treatment planning. It also includes simulation and treatment, treatment quality assurance, calculation checks and chart checks as well as brachytherapy.
Instructor: Stanley Benedict, Ph.D.
Course Duration: two formats available — 4 weeks or 10 weeks
Quarters: I, II, III, IV
Units: 3-6
Location: UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
Distribution of Students Time: 1st VAR 3-36 hours/week , 2nd LEC 1-2 hours/week
Prerequisites: Open to physics and engineering graduate students and senior undergraduate physics majors.
Not more than three students total enrolled in RON 211 at a time.
Download RON 211 syllabus (PDF) »
For more information or to register: Contact the Course Coordinator, at njrosati@ucdavis.edu.