Clinical Rotations & Sample Training Topics
Rotations are carried out primarily at the main campus. Learning opportunities at satellite facilities (such as commissioning and/or implementation of new equipment or treatment techniques that are not available at the main campus) are arranged as they arise. In the future, a one-month full participation rotation at a satellite is being planned.
- Orientation (1 month)
- Onboarding
- Program overview and requirements
- Shadow RT workflow from consult to treatment delivery
- Linear Accelerators (3 months)
- Operations and Theory of Linear Accelerator QA
- Output Calibrations
- Commissioning and Acceptance Testing
- Image-Guided Radiotherapy (3 months)
- CT Simulators and QA
- Immobilization
- Linac-Based Imaging Systems (OBI, CRad, ExacTrac, Calypso)
- Other imaging modalities (MRI/PET/Ultrasound)
- Treatment Planning (4 months)
- Dose Calculation Algorithms
- 3D Conformal Techniques
- IMRT & VMAT
- Electrons
- Patient-Specific QA (2 months)
- In-vivo Dosimetry
- Chart Checks and Plan Review
- Special procedures (2 months)
- Linac-based SRS and SBRT
- GammaKnife Radiosurgery
- Total Body Irradiation
- Total Skin Electron Therapy
- Brachytherapy (3 months)
- HDR Brachytherapy (GYN/skin)
- Theory of LDR Brachytherapy
- Eye Plaque Brachytherapy
- Intravascular Brachytherapy
- Special topics (2 months)
- Orthovoltage Radiotherapy
- Treatment Planning System and Oncology Information System QA
- Proton Therapy or theoretical review of new technologies or procedures (FLASH, Reflexion BGRT, etc.)
- Radiation Safety (1 month)
- Work with radiation safety office to perform tasks across hospital
- Radionuclide Treatments (Y-90, I-131)
- Regulatory Requirements
- Full Participation (3 months)
- Resident assigned clinical duties of a medical physicist from a variety of services
In addition to the listed clinical rotations the resident participates in the following activities:
- Patient-Specific IMRT QA
- Attendance of chart rounds and radiation therapy related conferences
- Yearly ABR-Style mock orals
- Yearly written exams
- Two topical presentations, with one topic assigned by program and one selected by resident
- Local and National Journal Clubs
- Acceptance testing and commissioning of new treatment techniques or equipment
- Clinical development and research (see Research for more details)