UAMS.EDU

Medical Physics Residency

Program Description

*NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR A TWO-YEAR RESIDENCY STARTING APRIL 16, 2012*

The two-year Radiation Oncology Therapeutic Medical Physics Residency Program at UAMS is designed for candidates with a doctoral degree inform a CAMPEP accredited medical physics graduate program who are interested in pursuing careers as Clinical Medical Physicists in Radiation Oncology. This program concentrates on the medical applications of physics in the clinical treatment of cancer patients with radiation.

Clinical Training

The training is based on the curriculum developed by CAMPEP and the recommendations* of the AAPM.

*(1) AAPM’s “The Medical Physicist”, (2) AAPM’s “The Roles, Responsibilities, and Status of the Clinical Medical Physicist,” and (3) AAPM Report No. 90, “Essentials and Guidelines for Hospital-Based Medical Physics Training Programs,” which are available from AAPM website www.aapm.org.

During the residency, the resident will learn:

  • Measurement and Quantification of radiation
  • Radiation Safety
  • Linear Accelerator, acceptance testing, calibration and quality assurance
  • Imaging for planning and treatment verification
  • Brachytherapy, including High Dose Rate (HDR) and Low Dose Rate (LDR)
  • Prostate implants
  • Computer assisted treatment planning
  • Quality control of the treatment process
  • Delivery techniques including:- Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)

- Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT)

- Tomotherapy, with the Hi-ART Helical Tomotherapy System.

- Stereotactic radiosurgery with Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion

- Stereotactic radiotherapy with a Linac equipped with a mini- multileaf collimator and cones

  • Special procedures including:- Spatially Fractionated Radiation Therapy (GRID)

- Mammosite Brachytherapy

- TBI, TMI, etc.

In addition, clinical training will include work on research/clinical projects, carried out under the supervision of the Medical Physics faculty.

Clinical conferences, seminars, small discussion groups, journal clubs and one-on-one instruction are all an integral part of the program. The resident will participate in the following established activities: Physics Division meetings, Treatment Planning conferences, Patient Case conferences, and assigned projects and readings.

Competency

Clinical competency is evaluated by oral exams and reports.

 

Appointments and Application Procedure

To be eligible to apply, you must have a Ph.D. (or equivalent degree) and be a graduate of a CAMPEP accredited graduate school in Medical Physics.

Qualified applicants are requested to submit their application material as soon as possible. A transcript of undergraduate and graduate work, a personal statement, along with three reference letters must accompany the application. A Selection Committee consisting of medical physics faculty and a staff radiation oncologist grade the applications and select three or more candidates for teleconference interview. Final evaluation of the candidates is made by the Selection Committee on the basis of the candidate’s educational background, special experiences, and letters of reference and interview performance.  Selected candidates may also be invited for a personal interview at their own expense.  The status of their application can be conveyed via the telephone phone on an applicant’s request. Normally written notice of acceptance is standard practice. The unsuccessful candidates will also be informed by written notice no later than early May.

Application due dates and an admission process timeline is specified as below. Applications are solicited every 2 years and will be opened again in April 2012 for the year beginning in July 2012.

  1. April 16- Advertisement placed
  2. May 20- Applications closed
  3. May 31-  three candidates selected by the Selection Committee, invite the 1st candidate for an phone or on-site interview
  4. June 5- invite the 2ndranked candidate if the 1st candidate declined the offer.

Print an application form.

For more information contact:
Tommie Carter
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
4301 West Markham, Slot 771
Little Rock AR 72205
Tel (501) 526-6490;  Fax (501) 686-7285