Radiation Oncology

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Program Overview

The Medical College of Wisconsin Radiation Oncology Physics Residency Program is designed for individuals with a Ph.D. (D.Sc.) degree seeking training in the field of medical physics with a strong emphasis in both the academic and clinical facets of radiation oncology physics. The three-year residency program will prepare the resident for board certification and a professional career in both clinical and academic radiation oncology physics.

Training for the Physics Residency Program involves full participation of the physics resident in the clinical and research components of radiation oncology physics. Residents are trained under the supervision of experienced radiation oncology physicists. Areas of training include dosimetry, treatment planning, treatment aid design and fabrication, brachytherapy, radiation safety, radiation machine calibration, imaging, special procedures, and quality assurance. Throughout the training rotations, opportunities are available in various areas of research.

The knowledge obtained from participating in the Physics Residency Program will prepare the resident for certification in the specialty of Therapeutic Radiological Physics by the American Board of Radiology. The skills acquired from the hands-on training will prepare the resident for a career as a clinical radiation oncology physicist capable of independent practice.

This program is in the process of applying for accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Educations Programs, Inc. (CAMPEP). The goal of the Physics Residency Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin is to receive accreditation in the year 2009.

Physics Section – Radiation Oncology

The Physics Section of the Department of Radiation Oncology includes 12 radiation oncology physicists, 3 physics residents, 2 post doctoral fellows, and other supporting staff. The physics staff and residents are employees of the Medical College of Wisconsin. In addition to the physicists and residents, Allen Li, PhD, the departmental Chief Physicist, also oversees five dosimetrists, one clinical engineer, and one mould technician, who are employed by Froedtert Hospital. Clinical activities performed by the Physics Section include machine QA and treatment planning as well as development, implementation, and support for specific procedures such as imaging, image-guided RT (IGRT), intensity modulated RT (IMRT), stereotactic body RT (SBRT), 4D/gated RT, brachytherapy, and TomoTherapy. Research activities include developing strategies and tools for adaptive RT, biological/functional image-guided RT, RT outcome modeling, biologically based treatment planning, and strategies to manage respiratory motion.

Training Requirements

The Medical College of Wisconsin Physics Residency Program is a three-year program. During the first year, the resident is expected to attend didactic lectures, special training sessions, conferences, and observations of routine clinical physics activities including machine QA, treatment planning, IMRT QA, and special procedures. During the second and third years, the resident will participate directly in clinical activities through a series of rotations in machine QA, treatment planning, IMRT delivery QA, special procedures, and brachytherapy. During the first two years, the resident works closely with the physics faculty, staff, and dosimetrists to observe and participate in the following:

  • treatment machine daily, monthly and yearly quality assurance procedures
  • machine calibrations
  • patient and phantom dose measurements
  • IMRT QA
  • conventional and IMRT treatment planning
  • image acquisition, fusion, and registration
  • dose calculations
  • design and fabrication of patient treatment aids such as Cerrobend blocks
  • multileaf collimation
  • aperture settings and special bolus
  • brachytherapy procedures
  • special treatment procedures such as:
    • IGRT
    • SBRT
    • SRS
    • TBI
  • Miscellaneous other physical and technical tasks performed in the clinic

During the three-year period, the physics resident will receive didactic instruction in the following areas:

  • Basic Radiological Physics
  • External Beam Radiation Oncology Physics
  • IMRT and IGRT
  • Advanced Special Procedures (e.g. TBI, IMRT, SRS, SBRT)
  • Imaging for Planning and Localization (CT, MRI, PET)
  • Brachytherapy Physics
  • Radiation Safety
  • Radiation Biology
  • Clinical Radiation Oncology
  • Statistics
  • MD Resident Education Course
  • Cross Sectional Anatomy

Clinical rotations are the core elements of the second and third years of residency training. The clinical rotations contain four key elements; a) assigned rotation, b) assigned readings, c) assigned comprehensions with assigned faculty, and d) testing.

  1. Each rotation contains particular training essentials that include independent-study materials. The training essentials may or may not include a check-off list of mastered tasks, depending on the rotation.
  2. Specific comprehension essentials were developed for each rotation to ensure that the resident understands the background and details involving the rotation. The resident and the assigned physicist will meet a minimum of three times during the rotation to discuss the particular subject.
  3. Mandatory readings are assigned for each rotation along with additional suggested readings to prepare residents for the comprehensions and training essentials.
  4.  At the close of each rotation, the resident will be given a short exam covering the rotation and its associated comprehensions. This exam is conducted with the assigned physicist, or the Associate Director of the program, and the resident. If the physicist and/or the Associate Director feel that additional studying and reading is necessary, the resident will do so and then retake the rotation-based exam.

In addition to the clinical physics rotations and didactic lectures, the physics resident is assigned various topics for three seminar presentations each year. The physics resident, working closely with an assigned physicist advisor, is expected to prepare a detailed handout along with a well-researched bibliography.

Sample Training Program

The length of the Physics Residency program is three years with the training calendar typically beginning July 1 each year. In the first year, a physics resident can expect to participate in approximately 50% clinical training and 50% research training. In subsequent years, the resident can expect to participate in 75% clinical training and 25% research training. Through this curriculum, the physics resident is exposed to both the clinical and research aspects of radiation oncology physics, important components in this increasingly technological environment.

Clinical rotations vary in length from six months to twelve months. A schedule of Physics Residency Clinical Rotations is posted and updated semi-annually. At the start of each rotation, the physics resident will be given a Rotation Summary. This summary addresses the expectations of each rotation in the areas of required reading, expected competences, and evaluation criteria.


Concurrently throughout the program, the resident will participate in the following activities:

  • Radiation safety training
    • Linear accelerator area surveys
    • Remote afterloader safety training
  • Commissioning measurements for newly-installed radiotherapy machines, software, detectors
  • Attendance at annual society meetings (AAPM, ASTRO)
  • Radiotherapy physics lecture series
  • Radiobiology lecture series
  • Anatomy lecture series

General Training Plan 

Year One - First Semester

  • #Research
  • Physics course
  • Radiobiology course
  • Cross Sectional Anatomy course
  • Weekly departmental meetings

Year One - Second Semester

  • TLD/Diode rotation
  • IMRT Plan Delivery QA rotation
  • Accelerator (Linac 1, Linac 2, and/or Linac 3) QA rotation
  • Research
  • Physics course
  • Radiobiology course
  • Weekly departmental meetings

Year Two - First Semester

  • TLD/Diode rotation
  • IMRT Plan Delivery QA rotation
  • Accelerator (Linac 1, Linac 2, Linac 3, Linac 4 and/or Linac 5) QA rotation
  • Research
  • Physics course
  • Radiobiology course
  • Weekly departmental meetings

Year Two - Second Semester

  • Accelerator (Linac 1, Linac 2, Linac 3, Linac 4 and/or Linac 5) QA rotation
  • CT Simulator QA rotation
  • Research
  • Physics course
  • Radiobiology course
  • Weekly departmental meetings

Year Three - First Semester

  • Tomotherapy Patient QA rotation
  • MR Simulator QA rotation
  • TPS Sim/External Beam rotation
  • Research
  • Weekly departmental meetings

Year Three - Second Semester

  • TPS Sim/External Beam rotation
  • Hand Calc/Chart Check/ Treatment Observation rotation
  • Special Procedures rotation
  • Research
  • Weekly departmental meetings

#Research is conducted throughout the 3-year program in addition to the research rotation
 

Application Process

Interested residency applicants should send (electronic or regular mail) the following information to the Administrative Coordinator:
(1) Letter of introduction including a Self-statement
(2) Official Graduate and Undergraduate Transcripts
(3) Certificates of Program Completions
(4) Curriculum vitae
(5) Three letters of reference

Applications will be accepted for available openings beginning September 1, 2010 for a July 1, 2011 availability and then annually thereafter. Applications must be received by February 1 of each year for the July 1st start date. Only completed applications with all of the above requirements will be reviewed. Qualified candidates will be asked for an interview.

The application and interview process is performed in accordance with the equal opportunity standards set by The Medical College of Wisconsin. Physics residents are considered to be employees of the Medical College of Wisconsin and receive the same benefits as employees classified as Postdoctoral Fellows including paid vacations, paid holidays, sick pay, and health, life, and disability insurance. Residents are able to attend at least one national meeting with appropriate expenses covered. Required books and other related learning materials are supplied to the resident for the duration of the program. Books are to be returned to the Administrative Coordinator upon completion of the program.


Funding for the Physics Residency program is sponsored in part by the Department of Radiation Oncology and through various research grants.

For more information about the field of medical physicist, please use the links to information provided by the American Association for Physics in Medicine (AAPM)http://www.aapm.org/main.asp

Scope of Practice for Radiation Oncology Medical Physicists                                                                                              http://www.aapm.org/org/policies/details.asp?id=225&type=PP&current=true

What is a Qualified Medical Physicist?
http://www.aapm.org/medical_physicist/fields.asp#therepeautic

What do Medical Physicists do?
http://www.aapm.org/medical_physicist/types_work.asp

Report No. 90, Essentials and Guidelines for Hospital-Based Medical Physics Training Programs
http://www.aapm.org/pubs/reports/rpt_90.pdf

Report No. 38, The Role of a Physicist in Radiation Oncology
http://www.aapm.org/pubs/reports/rpt_38.pdf 

Application contact information:
Jessica Kotowicz, BA
Administrative Coordinator, Radiation Oncology Physics Residency Program
Department of Radiation Oncology
Medical College of Wisconsin
414-805-4505 phone
414-805-4354 fax
jkotowicz@mcw.edu

Current Residents

Eric Paulson, PhD             epaulson@mcw.edu

Douglas Prah, PhD           dprah@mcw.edu 

Shannon Holmes, PhD      sholmes@mcw.edu 


Clinical Equipment

The equipment listed below is available within the Radiation Oncology Department at Froedtert Hospital or at one of the departmental satellite sites. All equipment is available for physics faculty and staff for use in the treatment of patients, creation of treatment plans, and the instruction of physics residents.

Radiation Delivery Machines

  • 8 Siemens linear accelerators (linacs)
    • 1 Artiste linac
    • 1 Oncor linac
    • 6 Primus linacs
      • 1 with CT-on-Rail (CTVision)
      • 4 with flat panel/MV cone beam CT (MVision)
      • 4 with gating capability
      • 1 TomoTherapy machine (Hi-Art)
      • 1 Elekta Gamma Knife ]
      • 1 Pantak orthovoltage x-ray unit
      • 1 Nucletron Microselectron HDR brachytherapy remote afterloader

Imaging and Simulation Machines

  • 2 Siemens CT simulators (one with 4D CT)
  • 2 GE CT simulators (one with 4D CT)
  • 1 Siemens 3T MRI simulator (Verio)
  • 1 PET/CT

Clinical Treatment Planning Systems

  • 7 CMS XiO systems for 3DCRT and IMRT (also 4 research XiO systems)
  • 1 CMS Monaco biologically-based TPS for IMRT
  • 1 Nomos Corvus IMRT TPS
  • 1 Prowess IMRT TPS (also one research system)
  • 2 TomoTherapy planning systems (also one research system)

Dosimetry Equipment

  • 3D scanning systems (one at each site)
  • A variety of ionization chambers, TLD, and diode systems, and readout instruments
  • A variety of anthropomorphic and solid-water phantoms

Contact Information

X. Allen Li, PhD
Director, Radiation Oncology Physics Residency Program
Department of Radiation Oncology
Medical College of Wisconsin
ali@mcw.edu

Kristofer Kainz, PhD
Associate Director, Radiation Oncology Physics Residency Program
Department of Radiation Oncology
Medical College of Wisconsin
kkainz@mcw.edu

Jessica Kotowicz, BA
Administrative Coordinator, Radiation Oncology Physics Residency Program
Department of Radiation Oncology
Medical College of Wisconsin
414-805-4505 phone
414-805-4354 fax
jkotowicz@mcw.edu
 

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© 2009 Medical College of Wisconsin
Page Updated 08/07/2009