Surgical Oncology and Hepatobiliary Surgery

Catalog description

The Surgical Oncology and Hepatobiliary Surgery elective will enhance the senior student's knowledge, skills, and competency in the management of surgical oncology patients. Areas of focus will include initial cancer patient evaluation, oncology diagnostic work-up and staging, assessment of surgical and non-surgical management options, and development of treatment plans, including sequencing of various components of treatment. Students will have an opportunity to develop these skills in outpatient clinics, through inpatient consultations, inpatient management, and multidisciplinary conferences and tumor board presentations. This elective will build on the objectives of the general surgical rotations and electives (i.e., improving pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative management of surgery patients); moreover, the specific objectives of this elective rotation address unique principles applicable to the care of cancer patients. These objectives include an appreciation of disease biology and response to treatment that incorporates medical oncology, radiation oncology, diagnostic and interventional radiology, and endoscopy into treatment planning and considers the contributions of nutrition support, physical therapy, palliative care, and survivorship.