The primary purpose of this training program is to provide specialized research, instruction and clinical training in cancer radiation treatment-related areas of medical physics. Candidates applying for this program should have a graduate degree in physics, engineering or computer science, and have demonstrated ability to perform high- quality research. Another important purpose of this program is to provide the trainees with sufficient academic and clinical experience so that they can become eligible for certification by the American Board of Radiology in therapeutic radiological physics. Our program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP).
Application
The applicant should have received a graduate degree in physics, medical physics or other related fields. Graduates from CAMPEP accredited graduate medical physics and certificate programs as well as candidates with background satisfying alternative pathway based on AAPM Report 197S will also be considered. There should be evidence of a candidate’s ability to conduct independent research and to learn clinical and research aspects of radiation oncology physics. Good communication skills and the ability to effectively interact with other professionals are highly desirable. On-site interviews will be conducted for selected candidates. Interviews will include a 10-15 minute presentation on topics selected by the candidate.
In order to be considered for this position each candidate must submit the following:
- a letter of application stating career goals and motivation toward medical physics
- curriculum vitae, including list of publications, with applicant’s name highlighted among co-authors
- three letters of recommendation
- official transcripts of undergraduate and graduate studies
- title and abstract for a short presentation
The Rush University Medical Physics Residency Program accepts applications through the AAPM Residency Common Application System (CAP) at http://www.aapm.org/cap/. Items #1-4 above are required for CAP submission. Item #5 should be submitted via e-mail to Ms. Mylene Mauclair (mylene_mauclair@rush.edu). We are participating in the 2015 Medical Physics Match Program at https://natmatch.com/medphys/. To apply, applicants must participate in the Match and enter code number 12011 for our program.
Program Design
The medical physics residency training program is designed to educate and to train candidates with a graduate degree in physics, medical physics or closely related fields to a competency level that will allow them to practice radiation oncology physics and to be prepared to sit for the certification examination of the American Board of Radiology (ABR) in therapeutic radiological physics upon graduation. The program is organized in accordance with the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Report, No. 90: Essentials and Guidelines for Hospital-Based Medical Physics Residency Training Programs, 2006. The program covers all aspects of clinical radiation oncology physics, including acceptance/commissioning, calibration and quality assurance of treatment and simulation equipment, radiation detectors, measurement and calculation of radiation dose, radiation treatment planning, design and fabrication of treatment aids, quality assurance of planning systems, external beam treatment techniques (including 2D, 3D conformal, intensity modulated (IMRT) and image guided (IGRT) radiation therapy techniques), low- and high-dose-rate brachytherapy (LDR and HDR), special procedures, radiation safety for both patients and radiation workers, room shielding designs, regulatory radiation safety guidelines and education of health professionals in radiation oncology physics.
Program Length
The length of the program is three years. The resident will attend classes and clinical conferences, provide assistance in performing various quality assurance tasks and participate in clinical research and development projects during the first year. The resident will start clinical rotations in various areas at the beginning of the second year. Completion of eight structured clinical rotations is required for the second and third year. A mentoring staff physicist will directly supervise the resident and monitor his/her progress during the rotation. Evaluations of their performances in each rotation will be documented and communicated to the residents.
Program Faculty
The Department of Radiation Oncology has six PhD-level physicists and six attending physicians. All physicians and physicists are either ABR certified or in the process of getting their certification. All faculty are active in clinical services, teaching and research. Our faculty are excellent teachers; our medical residents have consistently ranked above the ninetieth percentile in the ACR in-service physics board exams of the past. In addition, we offer excellent courses in radiobiology, statistics and imaging physics. All these courses, as well as other courses offered by Rush University, are available to medical physics residents.
Facility and Equipment:
The Department of Radiation Oncology is equipped with a large bore 4D CT simulator, a PET/CT scanner, a Tomotherapy system, a dedicated TrueBeam STX unit for SRS and SBRT, two additional state of the art linear accelerators, a Nucletron HDR unit with Oncentra treatment planning system, a Pinnacle 3D treatment planning system, an Eclipse treatment planning system, a Brainlab stereotactic radiosurgery planning (iPlan) and treatment system, in vivo dosimetry systems, a film dosimetry system, and a 3D data acquisition system. The department has active clinical and research programs in IGRT, IMRT, TBI, SRS, SBRT, brachytherapy, Monte Carlo simulations, thermal imaging, scatter imaging, dose painting, contour segmentation, and biological model-based treatment planning applications in radiation therapy.
Program Delivery
The program director, in collaboration with the Medical Physics Residency Committee, is responsible for the administration of the program. It is the program director’s responsibility to advise the residents, coordinate clinical rotations and didactic training and to evaluate and promote the program. The committee meets regularly to review the progress of the residents and the operation of the program. All clinical training takes place in the Department of Radiation Oncology. The Office of Graduate Medical Education (GME) monitors and reviews the quality of the program and provides oversight to assure its adherence to the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP) standards.
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