TH‐D‐350‐07: A 15 Year History of the First Accredited Physics Residency Program: Lessons Learned

Abstract

Purpose: When the AAPM Report Number 36, “Guidelines for Residency Programs”, was published our institution created a program in Radiation Oncology. This report summarizes our 15 year history. Method and Materials: In 1993, our institution formalized our training approach and established Radiation Oncology Physics Residencies. In 1997, the program became the first accredited by CAMPEP. The program was re‐accredited in 2003. Over time we've tried to improve our program and modernize as technologies advance. We've tracked administrative aspects, particularly, the success of our graduates in terms of employment and board certification, and our applicant pool's background. Results: For the 27 individuals that have entered our program, 12 had been post‐doctoral fellows, 6 had graduated non‐CAMPEP programs, 4 graduated from CAMPEP accredited programs, and 4 had established careers. Twenty physicists have graduated (15 PhD, 15 MS), two failed to complete the program, and one departed due to medical issues. Of the graduates, 14 are at academic facilities and 6 are in non‐academic practice. Every graduate that has taken the ABR/ABMP exam, written and oral have passed at every stage on their1st attempt. Over the past 5 years, there have been 352 applicants for the position(s) that were available. Of these, 49% have been newly graduating physicists with only a small minority (9% of total applicants) graduating from CAMPEP‐accredited programs. Of the applicants 1/3 held post‐docs, 12% were established in a career, and 6% were from overseas. Some changes we've made over the years have been to establish more customized and advanced rotations (i.e. IMRT, IGRT) and to increase testing frequency. Conclusion: The majority of applicants have come from non‐CAMPEP accredited graduate programs, while we have primarily accepted and graduated applicants with post doctoral backgrounds. Our program is sufficiently dynamic to adapt to technological advancements and undergo continuous improvement.