Our residents will complete eight three-month rotations. For each rotation, the resident will be under the supervision of a physics faculty chief mentor and additional physics faculty mentors as needed.
Year 1
Quarter 1
Quarter 2
Quarter 3
Quarter 4
Introduction to Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology
Main Objectives:
The resident shall receive the ethics and professionalism training.
The resident shall receive radiation safety training from the quarterly mentor and the RSO, and understand the safe practices in radiation oncology.
The resident shall get familiar with the radiation therapy workflow including consults, nursing, simulation, treatment planning, treatment, and follow-up.
The resident shall know the operations of Linac, CT Simulator, and HDR afterloader, and know how to perform daily QA for Linac, CT, and HDR as well as monthly QA for Linac and CT.
The resident shall become independent in performing all activities related to patient-specific QA.
The resident shall know how to use the record & verify system, understand the treatment planning basics, and get ready for doing clinical plans in the next rotation.
Monthly Oral Exam Topics:
Basics of radiotherapy workflow; simulation and patient setup; basics of radiation safety
The resident shall know the conventional treatment planning terminology and methods for both photon and electron.
The resident shall understand the dose calculation algorithms and MU calculation principles, and know how to use Rad Calc as well as how to do TBI MU calculation.
The resident can independently plan 2D/3D/Electron/TBI treatments like a dosimetrist.
Monthly Oral Exam Topics:
Treatment planning concepts, terminology, methods
Dose calculation algorithm, MU calculation, TBI
Comprehensive quarterly exam
Treatment Planning II (IMRT, VMAT, SBRT, SRS)
Main Objectives:
The resident shall understand IMRT/VMAT concepts, optimization methods, and delivery techniques.
The resident shall know the details of simulation, planning, treatment, and QA for high-precision treatments.
The residents can independently plan IMRT/VMAT/SBRT/SRS treatments like a dosimetrist/physicist.
The residents shall know how to use other TPSs and record&verify systems that are not currently used clinically in the department.
Monthly Oral Exam Topics:
IMRT/VMAT planning, SBRT/SRS planning
Small field dosimetry
Comprehensive quarterly exam
Quality Assurance, Calibration, and Commissioning
Main Objectives:
The resident shall know every detail of Linac daily, monthly and annual QA per TG40 and TG142.
The resident shall know every detail of Linac output calibration per TG51.
The resident shall understand the acceptance and commissioning process for Linac, TPS, CT, and HDR systems.
The resident shall know the principles, use, QA, and calibration of all dosimetry equipment.
Monthly Oral Exam Topics:
Linac commissioning, QA, dosimetry equipment
TPS commissioning; TG 51 & Addendum
Comprehensive quarterly exam
Year 2
Quarter 1
Quarter 2
Quarter 3
Quarter 4
Brachytherapy and Radiation Safety/Protection
Main Objectives:
The resident shall know the brachytherapy dose calculation per TG43.
The resident shall know the LDR/HDR treatment workflow, equipment, QA.
The resident can independently perform treatment planning for the LDR/HDR cases that occur in the department.
Monthly Oral Exam Topics:
TG43, HDR treatment workflow
Radiation safety, regulations, protection
Comprehensive quarterly exam
Medical Imaging & Informatics in Radiation Oncology
Main Objectives:
The resident shall understand the imaging principles and clinical applications of imaging modalities including CT, MRI, Ultrasound, and PET/SPECT.
The resident shall know the principle, use, QA, and calibration of the image guidance systems including kV imager, EPID, OSMS, Calypso.
The resident shall understand the imaging registration theory and techniques, image processing principles, CT reconstruction algorithms, image dose reduction methods, and informatics in radiation oncology.
Monthly Oral Exam Topics:
CT imaging, IGRT
MRI, ultrasound, PET/SPECT
Comprehensive quarterly exam
Proton, Radiobiology, and Special Topics
Main Objectives:
The resident shall learn the basics of proton therapy.
The resident shall understand the radiobiology theory and its applications.
The resident shall receive didactic training from the quarterly mentor on the special topics including COMS eye plaque treatment, prostate seed implant, total skin electron therapy, radiopharmaceutical therapy, and pregnant patient.
The resident shall learn special modalities not available in our department, such as CyberKnife, GammaKnife, Tomotherapy, and MR-LINAC.
The resident shall make use of this rotation to strengthen the weakness of previous rotations.
Monthly Oral Exam Topics:
Proton therapy, radiobiology
Special topics
Comprehensive quarterly exam
Clinical physics support
Main Objectives:
The resident shall know how to perform 2nd check, weekly chart check, final physics check.
The resident can provide full clinical physics support.
The resident shall receive professionalism trainings from the quarterly mentor on career development, career planning, interview skills, and oral exam skills.
The resident shall make use of this rotation to strengthen the weakness of previous rotations.
The resident shall know the radiation safety principles, radiation survey, state and federal regulations, and shielding design theory.
