About the Medical Physics Residency Program
Structure
The clinical practice of the Stanford University School of Medicine (SU SoM) Department of Radiation Oncology is centered in the Stanford Comprehensive Cancer Center (SCCC), a National Cancer Institute designated cancer center.
The Stanford Radiation Oncology Physics Residency is structured as a two-year therapeutic program of progressive, supervised clinical training in all areas of radiation oncology physics, with the purpose of enabling a resident to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to practice radiation oncology physics independently and gain board certification. An optional elective third year of research may be scheduled after the two fully-clinical training years for a clinically related project by agreement with and under supervision of a member of the radiation oncology physics faculty. The additional year is intended to provide clinically trained residents time to advance a translational research project, with consequent opportunities for accomplishments to support a career goal of being a clinician-scientist.
Training Curriculum
The core of the curriculum involves residents learning clinical physics tasks by performing them under the direct supervision of experienced mentors. Residents gradually gain more independence as they demonstrate the ability to perform these tasks with reduced direct oversight. Mentors remain responsible for ensuring tasks are completed correctly. By continuing to work on specific tasks, residents have the opportunity to learn more subtle aspects of each topic.
The training program consists of clinical rotations lasting from one to three months, each focused on a specific topic. Additionally, there is an ongoing program of twice-monthly meetings covering a wide range of medical physics topics. Each rotation is supervised by at least two board-certified physicists. To successfully complete a rotation, residents must demonstrate to their mentors that they have met the required knowledge goals and competencies.
Rotation Schedule
The following competencies constitute core development goals for each clinical rotation (please refer to rotation descriptions):
- to understand the sophisticated technologies used in the practice of medical physics and radiation oncology;
- to understand the protocols and practices essential to the deployment of these technologies for patient care in particular to detect, diagnose and treat various illnesses and injuries;
- to acquire the skills necessary for operating, testing and validating the technologies used in the practice of medical physics and radiation oncology;
- to systematically analyze practice using quality improvement (QI) methods, and implement changes with the goal of practice safety improvement;
- to communicate effectively with physicians, other health professionals, and health related agencies and work effectively as a member of a health care team;
- to build a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles
- Rotation 1: Orientation; Simulation, Planning, and Treatment; Ethics; Accelerator Theory and Operation; Radiation Safety
- Rotation 2: Linac Safety; Equipment QA; Patient-Specific QA; Shielding Calculations; Calibration Protocols
- Rotation 3: 3D Treatment Planning; Basic Dosimetry
- Rotation 4: IMRT and VMAT Planning; Chart Checking
- Rotation 5: Clinical Translational Project
- Rotation 6: CyberKnife Radiosurgery; Linac-based SBR; and, exchange at UCSF
- Rotation 7: Special Procedures; TBI and TSEI; ; IORT, Reflexion, ViewRay; MR-Linac and Mevion Protons (in-house)
- Rotation 8: Brachytherapy
- Rotation 9: Electronic Imaging; Motion Management¥
- Rotation 10: Community Practice; elective specialty opportunity
- Rotation 11: Full Participation and Qiality Improvement
- Optional 3rd year: Research Year
- The clinical practice of the Stanford University School of Medicine (SUMC) Department of Radiation Oncology is centered in the Stanford Comprehensive Cancer Center (SCCC), a National Cancer Institute designated cancer center. Please see Facilities and Equipment page for more information on site rotation.
Last updated 7/10/2025