Preparing the Next Generation of Radiation Oncology Professionals
Our department sponsors a radiation oncology residency program, a therapeutic medical physics residency program, and a medical dosimetry training program. Our faculty of highly experienced, board-certified clinicians give students comprehensive practical training as they work side-by-side in support roles during clinical procedures. Residents are also actively involved in our department’s research mission.
Explore our programs
- Radiation Oncology Residency
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UPMC Hillman Cancer Center is western Pennsylvania’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, serving as both a tertiary referral center for complex cancer cases throughout the region and as a community cancer center for the Pittsburgh area. Treating over 2,000 patients each year at our main academic sites gives us vast clinical experience in brachytherapy, Gamma Knife and linear accelerator-based stereotactic radiosurgery, and stereotactic body radiation therapy.
Our central academic departments at Shadyside Hospital, Magee-Women’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and Presbyterian Hospital feature the most advanced equipment—including new TrueBeam and Halcyon linear accelerators, two Gamma Knife units, MRI-guided brachytherapy planning, and PET-CT simulators. We’re one of the first radiation oncology departments in the U.S. with a Reflexion X1 system, which combines PET tracking with a linear accelerator, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center also has a growing radiopharmaceuticals program and an active translational research faculty, with multiple NCI-funded labs within our department.
Research
Residents are actively involved in clinical research projects with our faculty. We have a growing radiopharmaceuticals program and an active translational research faculty, with multiple NCI-funded labs. UPMC Radiation Oncology residents have won competitive awards funding research projects from ASCO, ACRO, and ABMS.
Contacts:
John Austin Vargo, M.D.
Director, Residency Program
Assistant Professor
Email: vargoja4@upmc.eduSusannah Ellsworth, M.D.
Director, Residency Program
Assistant Professor
Email: ellsworths3@upmc.eduRobert A. Hart, M.Ed
Academic Manager
Email: hartra2@upmc.eduAdditional information is available on our program website.
- Physics Residency
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Medical physics is an applied field of physics concerning the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Medical physicists can be certified to provide clinical services in subspecialties of therapeutic medical physics, diagnostic medical physics, nuclear medical physics, and medical health physics. You can learn more about the discipline of medical physics at the American Association of Physicists in Medicine’s website.
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center has a two-year, CAMPEP-accredited medical physics residency program providing training in therapeutic medical physics. The Medical Physics Residency Program is based at UPMC Shadyside Hospital; residents also rotate through other local UPMC Hillman Cancer Center practices for training in specialized topics. Collectively, these practices offer a diverse assortment of technologies and perform a high volume of specialized procedures, including frameless linac-based SRS, Gamma Knife SRS, SBRT, HDR and LDR brachytherapy, 4DCT, respiratory-gated treatment, and TBI.
Contacts:
Travis McCaw, PhD, DABR
Director, Medical Physics Residency Program
Email: mccawtj2@upmc.eduM. Saiful Huq, PhD, DABR, FAAPM
Director, Division of Medical Physics
Email: huqs@upmc.eduAdditional information is available at our program website.
- Dosimetry Education
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The UPMC medical dosimetry training program offers medical dosimetry students full-time clinical practicum experience within our JRCERT accredited department to supplement and enhance their dosimetry education. This 16-18-month program gives students considerable real-world experience developing all types of radiation therapy treatment plans. Please contact us for additional information.
Contact:
Mitchell Bulat, CMD
Chief Medical Dosimetrist
Email: bulatmc@upmc.edu