Mission

Our mission is to provide clinical and didactic training to prepare our residents for practice in all aspects of therapeutic medical physics.

The medical physics residency program:

• Prepares residents to practice clinical medical physics with expertise in various treatment and imaging modalities important in radiation oncology
• Imbues residents with technical knowledge, skills, and competencies required for safe application of technologies.
• Develops analytical and critical thinking skills to research and develop solutions to problems in a clinical setting.

Medical Physics Residency Program (Therapy)

The Department of Radiation Oncology works in collaboration with the Departments of Radiology and Physics to operate an active medical physics graduate program.

We offer a two-year medical physics residency program in the Department of Radiation Oncology at VCU Massey Cancer Center. The objective of the program is to provide clinical training in all aspects of radiation oncology physics and prepare the resident for board certification. While we encourage residents to participate in research throughout their training period, this curriculum is primarily clinical.  

The residency program is currently structured to meet the requirements for accreditation and has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP).  

Incoming medical physics residents will join a team that includes faculty medical physicists, dosimetrists, research and clinical trainees and two to three other medical physics residents. 

Curriculum

Residents will complete eight core rotations that cover all aspects of therapeutic medical physics. The rotations include work in the following:

• CT and MRI Simulation
• 3D and IMRT/VMAT Treatment Planning
• Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT)
• Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)
• HDR Brachytherapy for prostate and gynecological malignancies
• HDR Brachytherapy for breast, skin, and soft-skin sarcoma malignancies
• LDR Brachytherapy for prostate and pancreatic cancer
• Total Body Irradiation
• Total Skin Electron Therapy
• MRI Guided Radiation Therapy
• Commissioning and QA
• Shielding, Radiation Safety, and Regulatory Compliance

Admission Information

Candidates from both CAMPEP-approved and non-CAMPEP graduate programs are welcome to apply.

Residents entering a medical physics residency educational program shall have a strong foundation in basic physics.  This shall be demonstrated either by an undergraduate or graduate degree in physics, or by a degree in an engineering discipline or another of the physical sciences and with coursework that is the equivalent of a minor in physics (i.e., one that includes at least three upper-level undergraduate physics courses that would be required for a physics major).  

In addition, residents must either 1) have graduated from a CAMPEP-accredited MS or PhD graduate program, or 2) possess a PhD in physics or related discipline and have completed a CAMPEP-accredited certificate program, or 3) possess a PhD in physics or related discipline and have satisfactorily completed courses equivalent to those in a CAMPEP-accredited certificate program, as determined by the CAMPEP Graduate Education Program Review Committee (GEPRC). The didactic requirements for entering a residency program shall be completed prior to the beginning of clinical education, except for up to two remedial courses, which may be taken for a two-year residency program without extending the duration of the residency program for residents with PhD degree. The two remedial course requirement does not apply to residency programs that are three years or longer. If a residency program conditionally admits applicants with deficiencies in their academic background, the remedial education of such residents shall be well-defined.  Courses used for remediation must have been assessed and approved by CAMPEP. This is consistent with the standards set forth by CAMPEP. Further details, including their latest policies, can be found at the CAMPEP website.

To apply, download and fill out the application below. Submit the completed application along with your CV, a personal statement, and transcripts via email to medphys@vcu.edu.

2024 VCU Medical Physics Residency Program Application

Timeline

Applications for the residency cycle starting July 1^st 2024 (2 positions) will be accepted between August 17, 2023 –  September 15, 2023.

Applicants must be authorized to work lawfully in the United States. At this time, our Department is not sponsoring individuals for immigration benefits for this position. 

Virginia Commonwealth University and VCU Health are equal opportunity/affirmative action institutions providing access to education and employment without regard to age, race, color, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, veteran's status, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

Our Department

The Department of Radiation Oncology at VCU provides a full range of clinical services at the VCU Medical Center and its six satellite facilities within Virginia.

The Department of Radiation Oncology at VCU provides a full range of clinical services at the VCU Medical Center and its six satellite facilities within Virginia. Services provided include IMRT, VMAT, SBRT, image-guided brachytherapy, hyperthermia, and stereotactic radiosurgery.

Residents will rotate through modules based on simulation and set-up verification, dosimetry (3D and IMRT), SBRT, SRS, LDR brachytherapy, HDR brachytherapy, Quality assurance, and more. The curriculum is set in accordance with CAMPEP, but allows for residents to explore areas of interest. While the residency is clinical focused, residents may have the opportunity to work with faculty on projects throughout their rotations.

The physics faculty conducts research in various areas of radiation therapy including IMRT/VMAT dosimetry and optimization, brachytherapy dosimetry and applicator development, CT image reconstruction, image-guided radiation therapy, deformable image registration, 4D MRI, clinical bio-marker study, and motion-adaptive radiation.