SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20569

                              ---------------------

                                  FORM 8-A/A-3

                                 AMENDMENT NO. 3
                            To Registration Statement

                             dated November 23, 1998

                                   relating to

                         Preferred Stock Purchase Rights

                FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                          VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                            
               Delaware                                   94-2359345
----------------------------------------       --------------------------------
(State of incorporation or organization)       (IRS Employer Identification No.)

           3100 Hansen Way
           Palo Alto, CA                                  94304-1000
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(Address of principal executive offices)                  (Zip Code)


If this Form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to
Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General
Instruction A.(c), please check the following box. [ ]

If this Form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to
Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General
Instruction A.(d), please check the following box. [ ]

Securities Act registration statement file number to which this form relates:
N/A

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class                               Name of each exchange on which
To be so registered                               each class is to be registered
-------------------                               ------------------------------

Preferred Stock Purchase Rights                   New York Stock Exchange

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

                                      NONE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Title of Class)

ITEM 1.  DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT'S SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED.

                  Item 1 is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:

                  On November 17, 2001, Varian Medical Systems, Inc. (the
"Company") entered into an amendment (the "Third Amendment") to the Rights
Agreement dated as of November 20, 1998 as amended, by the First Amendment dated
April 1, 1999 and the Second Amendment dated August 17, 2001 (the "Rights
Agreement") between the Company and First Chicago Trust Company of New York
("First Chicago"). The Third Amendment, entered into by and among the Company,
First Chicago and EquiServe Trust, N.A. ("EquiServe") as successor to First
Chicago as Rights Agent (the"Rights Agent"), amends the Rights Agreement,
effective as of November 16, 2001 to revise section 4.4, "Change of Rights
Agent" of the Rights Agreement relative to qualifications of the Rights Agent
and to substitute EquiServe as the Rights Agent.

ITEM 2.  EXHIBITS.

                  Item 2 is hereby amended by adding new Exhibit 4 as follows:

Exhibit No.                Description
-----------                -----------

    (4)                    Third Amendment to Rights Agreement, dated as of
                           November 16, 2001, between Varian Medical Systems,
                           Inc., and First Chicago Trust Company of New York and
                           EquiServe Trust, N.A., as Rights Agent.

                                    SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this amendment to the registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized.

                                  VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.



                                  By:    /s/ Joseph B. Phair
                                  Name:  Joseph B. Phair
                                  Title: Vice President, Administration, General
                                         Counsel and Secretary

Dated: January  4, 2002

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



EXHIBIT NO.                DESCRIPTION
-----------                -----------

    (4)                    Third Amendment to Rights Agreement, dated as of
                           November 16, 2001, between Varian Medical Systems,
                           Inc., and First Chicago Trust Company of New York and
                           EquiServe Trust, N.A., as Rights Agent.