DIDACTICS

Our Residency Program has a robust Didactic Schedule comprised of Case Conferences, Faculty Lectures, Physics and Radiobiology Courses, Morbidity/Mortality Conferences, Biostatistics Reviews and Grand Rounds. In addition, the didactic program includes a wide range of specialized topics (many not available at other Residency Programs) including the Business of Radiation Oncology, Anatomy, Board Reviews, Humanism, and Professionalism & Leadership delivered by the Faculty.

Lectures are based on a Disease Month Calendar, with all lectures, conferences and other didactics focused on the disease site of the month.

 
 

Monday Conferences

Clinical Case Conference

Monday Noon-1pm (3-4 per Month)
The focus of this resident-run conference is on specific aspects of the disease (epidemiology, anatomy, etiology, general management etc.) and the technical aspects of radiotherapeutic management. Topics conform to the Disease Month and cover all major disease subsites every 2 years.

Boards Review

Monday Noon-1pm (Monthly)
This is an interactive, case-based discussion designed to familiarize residents with the format and types of questions they might be asked at the Oral Boards.

Tuesday Conferences

Physics Class

Tuesday 8-9am (2 per Month)
This conference includes lectures, practical demonstrations, and review questions geared toward medical residents taught by the Medical Physics Faculty. There is a separate upper level series for Medical Physics residents.

Dosimetry Class

Tuesday 8-9am (Monthly)
This course is designed as a hands-on opportunity for residents to learn the basics of RT planning, from setting up fields to 3D-CRT planning and IMRT. The topics coincide with the Disease Month and helps reinforce practical concepts learned during Physics Class.

Wednesday Conferences

Joint Case Conference

Wednesday 8-9am (Monthly)
One Medical resident and one physics resident prepare and present a clinical case together. The focus of the first half hour is on the specific clinical aspects of the disease (epidemiology, anatomy, etiology, etc.) and the second half of the hour will focus on technical issues of radiotherapeutic management. Topics conform to the Disease Month and follow a predefined schedule.

Anatomy for the Radiation Oncologist

Wednesday 8-9am (Monthly)
This class is designed to expose the residents to basic anatomy and imaging pertinent to the practice of radiation oncology including target and normal tissue contouring. The topic conforms to the Disease Month.

Faculty Clinical Lectures

Wednesday 8-9am (2-3 per Month)
Clinical lectures based on the Disease Month are given by RMAS faculty specializing in that disease site. In addition, non-Radiation Oncology faculty (surgeons, medical oncologists, pediatricians, etc.) are also invited to lecture the residents.

Business of Radiation Oncology

Wednesday 8-9am (Quarterly)
Designed to expose the residents to the business aspects of radiation oncology, this course covers a variety of topics including contracting, hiring and compensation of physicians, physicists and staff, new program startup, and financial support of successful research and residency training programs.

Professionalism & Leadership

Wednesday 8-9am (Quarterly)
This course provides residents with practical information on professionalism and leadership that is not readily found in any textbook or other sources. It also focuses on major areas in professional life and career in order provide the best chance of success.

Thursday Conferences

Clinical Case Conference

Thursday Noon-1pm (2-3 per Month)
The focus of this resident-run conference is on specific aspects of the disease (epidemiology, anatomy, etiology, general management etc.) and the technical aspects of radiotherapeutic management. Topics conform to the Disease Month and cover all major disease subsites every 2 years.

Journal Club

Thursday Noon-1pm (Monthly)
Journal club is used to present select new articles as well as select classic publications related to the current Disease Month. Both medical and physics publications are presented.

Morbidity & Mortality (M&M) Conference

Thursday Noon-1pm (Monthly)
Attendings and residents record cases on a central master M&M list on an ongoing basis. From this list, three cases are selected based on the disease month and presented for discussion. The literature is reviewed and techniques to mitigate and treat toxicities are discussed.

Friday Conferences

Humanism in Oncology

Friday 2-3pm (Quarterly)
A series of interactive case-based sessions with residents on physician-patient issues (e.g. giving bad news, challenging patient-family dynamics), medical ethics, workplace conflicts, and physician burnout and stress. Interactive discussions involve real cases and even some role-play of challenging situations that come up in radiation oncology.

Grand Rounds

Friday 3-4pm (Monthly)
This department-wide seminar features on a rotating basis the research faculty (both in our department and collaborators) presenting their current work. In addition, Visiting Professors are invited twice yearly to present at this conference as well as spend the day with the residents and meet with select faculty.

Radiobiology Course

Friday Noon-1pm (Weekly Jan-May)
This course exposes both radiation oncology and physics residents to radiobiology topics including radiation response, cell cycle and dose rate effects. Based on Hall's text Radiobiology for the Radiologist, this course incorporates a review of mechanisms of systemic therapies to reflect the Disease Month.

Biostatistics

Friday Noon-1pm (Monthly, Biannually)
Residents participate in a biannual biostatistics course consisting of six interactive classes to analyze practical problems using SAS, R, or Matlab (resident preference). Residents are also exposed to medical statistics through individual conferences including monthly journal club.

New Patient (Chart Rounds)

Given the high volume of patients treated at our 7 different centers, 11 new patient conferences are held, many of which are disease/modality specific. At each, residents are responsible for presenting their own patients, describing the treatment plan. Residents attend the chart rounds assigned to their service attending.