Brief Description of Radiation Oncology Service:
University of Washington medical physicists provide clinical support and conduct clinical research and development at the UW Medical Center (UWMC) and affiliate institutions in Seattle. Residents will be primarily based at UWMC but have the opportunity to rotate through medical physics services provided at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA), Harborview Medical Center (HMC), Veterans Administration Hospital, Northwest Hospital (NWH) and the ProCure proton therapy facility that is currently under construction at the NWH campus. Radiation therapy equipment and procedures at UWMC and its affiliates are state-of-the-art. There are opportunities for new medical physics residents to gain experience with neutron therapy, proton therapy, gamma knife therapy, conventional x-ray and electron therapy, and brachytherapy (eye plaques, prostate seed implants, HDR and LDR). Various linac “on-board” and “in-room” 3D imaging guidance systems plus record and verify software is available for treatment. CT-simulation, PET-CT simulation and MRI fusion is standard input to the treatment planning computer systems of which the main one used at UWMC is a Phillips Pinnacle Smart Enterprise system. Additionally, UWMC and SCCA run a large total body irradiation (TBI) program in association with the world-renown Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and offer the region’s cancer clinics opportunities for intra-operative radiation therapy (IORT) using electron beam therapy. IMRT, VMAT, SBRT and a host of other linear accelerator based therapy techniques are planned and performed.
Brief Description of the Medical Physics Residency Program:
The successful candidate will receive a minimum salary of $50,000 per annum. Candidates will complete a 2 year clinical program consisting of didactic instruction and mentored rotations, including simulation and treatment planning, external beam therapy, brachytherapy, special procedures, therapy device maintenance and QA, and therapy device and software commissioning. Shielding calculations, radiation surveys and applicable radiation regulations are covered as an integral part of the didactic instruction and clinical rotations, as well as dosimetry equipment training and usage.
Performance of the resident is monitored through competency-based evaluations. Residents must achieve a satisfactory level of performance to progress through the program and a major assessment and evaluation of performance will occur at the end of each year on the program. There are a minimum of two residents in the program in any given year.
Residents are expected to participate in interdisciplinary clinical research and development projects in the department. For a description of the mentoring faculty available and their research interests please refer to the faculty web page. Research within the department focuses on advanced techniques for treatment individualization, including multi-objective plan optimization using physical and biological criteria and the integration of information from new imaging modalities into the treatment planning process.
The residency program has been in existence for many years. We will submit our application for CAMPEP accreditation in the spring of 2012.
Application to the Program:
Interested candidates may apply to the medical physics residency program directly by electronic or regular mail to the Residency Program Director, care of his secretary Ms. Vee White, at the following address
Professor George Sandison, Ph.D.
Medical Physics Residency Director,
c/o Ms. Vee White, Assistant
Department of Radiation Oncology
University Cancer Center, UWMC
University of Washington
1959 NE Pacific Street,
Box 356043
Seattle, Washington 98195-6043
e-mail: veewhite@uw.edu
Applications must include:
1). A curriculum vitae including a listing of publications, awards and grants.
2). A statement of USA citizenship, or evidence of USA permanent resident status, or evidence of a USA visa status allowing the candidate to reside and work in the USA for a period of 36 months or more from the date of application. (Please note that the University of Washington cannot provide any visa or work permit assistance to an applicant for a medical physics resident position.)
3). Copies of graduate (Ph.D. and M.S.) and undergraduate (B.S.) degrees plus associated course transcripts.
4). A one page personal statement including research interests and related experience.
5). Three letters of reference along with reference contact information.
Applicant Background:
Applicants should have undergraduate degrees in physics, engineering, mathematics, chemistry or biology. A graduate degree at either the level of M.S. or Ph.D. in science is required. Those applicants with a Ph.D. degree from an accredited medical physics graduate program will be given preference.
Application Deadline:
Applications for medical physics residents are accepted no earlier than November 15th for those wishing to start residency July 1st of the following year. There is no formal deadline for receipt of applications but it is expected that selection of the candidate(s) will be no later than February 1st prior to the July 1st start date. (Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed by Skype or other remotes means.)