Radiation Oncology Residency Program: Radiation Oncology

ERAS Applications

The Department of Radiation Oncology earned ACGME accreditation status for its Radiation Oncology Residency Training Program in 2005.

Our Residency Training Program participates in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS), and the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).

UT Southwestern Medical Center has a long history and commitment to resident training, with more than 70 currently accredited residency and fellowship programs operating this year. Affiliation agreements with the teaching hospitals of Parkland Memorial Hospital, UT Southwestern University Hospitals (William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital and Zale Lipshy University Hospital), and Children’s Health℠ offer a wide variety of learning experiences for residents and fellows alike.

The Department is a part of the NCI-designated Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center. Our offices include the 30,000-square-foot W.A. Monty & Tex Moncrief Radiation Oncology building, the Annette Simmons Stereotactic Treatment Center that houses the Gamma Knife and CyberKnife for cranial and extracranial stereotactic radiosurgery, and the newly added 16,000-square-foot Radiation Oncology Building near the site of the former St. Paul University Hospital. The new facility houses technologies such as the Vero (for SBRT treatments), two additional linear accelerators for a total of seven, and an additional CT scanner.

Department faculty and staff, which includes 16 physicians and 12 medical physicists, treat approximately 150 patients a day.

Applying

All applications must be submitted through ERAS and the National Resident Matching Program.

Do you accept applications from foreign Medical Graduates?

We accept and review applications from medical school graduates from all accredited medical and osteopathic schools.

What about visas?

At this time we are only able to accept applications from candidates who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents (green card holders), or J1 visa holders.

What are cut-offs for Step scores and grade point average (GPA)?

All applicants are evaluated on their individual merits. We do not have predetermined levels for test scores or GPA.

How many letters of recommendation do I need to provide?

We require three letters of recommendation as well as a Dean’s letter, all of which should be provided through ERAS.

Can I send additional information, such as articles and PowerPoint presentations?

Please do not send any additional information unless it is specifically requested. We will let you know if additional information is needed.

Can I make a presentation when I interview or come early to do a presentation?

Because not all applicants are able to spend extra time to give individual presentations, we are not able to offer the opportunity to some applicants to do presentations. There is not sufficient time on the interview days for presentations.

How many applicants will you be interviewing?

We anticipate interviewing 15 to 30 applicants each year, depending upon the number of positions available.

When are the interviews?

Interviews are generally held in December and January; exact dates are posted when available.

Do you offer internship positions? What type of internship is acceptable?

Our Radiation Oncology Residency Training Program begins with PGY-2, and we do not offer PGY-1 as part of our Residency Program. ACGME radiation oncology requirements call for the first year of postgraduate clinical training to be spent in internal medicine, family practice, ob/gyn, surgery or surgical specialties, pediatrics, a categorical radiation oncology year, or a transitional year program.

Do you offer electives for medical students?

We offer four-week electives in Radiation Oncology through UT Southwestern. Contact Residency Program Coordinator Susan Brown for additional information.

Who should I contact at UT Southwestern if I still have questions about your program?

Please email any additional questions to our Residency Program Coordinator, Susan Brown. susan.brown@utsouthwestern.edu

Current Residents

Genevieve Maquilan, M.D.

Undergraduate Education: Princeton University
Medical School: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Kimberly Thomas, M.D., M.Sc.

Undergraduate Education: Harvard College
Graduate Education: Oxford University
Medical School: UT Southwestern Medical Center

Jake Wang, M.D., Ph.D.

Undergraduate Education: National Tsing-Hua University
Graduate Education: University of California, Los Angeles
Medical School: University of Connecticut School of Medicine

PGY-4 Residents

Dan Ishihara, M.D., Ph.D.

Undergraduate Education: Johns Hopkins University
Graduate Education: Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Medical School: Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Steven Lau, M.D., Ph.D.

Undergraduate Education: Washington University in St. Louis
Graduate Education: University of California, San Diego;
University of Cambridge
Medical School: University of California, San Diego

Vasu Tumati, M.D.

Undergraduate Education: Indiana University
Medical School: New York Medical College

PGY-3 Residents

Ryan Jones, M.D.

Undergraduate Education: University of Virginia, B.A., Psychology
Medical School: University of Virginia School of Medicine

Osama Mohamad, M.D., Ph.D.

Undergraduate Education: American University of Beirut, B.S., Biology
Graduate Education: Emory University, Ph.D., Neuroscience, stem cell research
Medical School: Emory University School of Medicine

Dat Vo, M.D., Ph.D.

Undergraduate Education: University of Texas at Austin, B.S., Biochemistry
Graduate Education: The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Ph.D., Genetics, Genomics, and Development
Medical School: The University of Texas School of Medicine at San Antonio

PGY-2 Residents

Andrew Leiker, M.D.

Undergraduate Education: Fort Hays State University
Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin

Travis Mendel, M.D.

Undergraduate Education: University of Puget Sound
Medical School: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Sam Schroeder, M.D.

Undergraduate Education: University of Denver
Medical School: University of Iowa College of Medicine

Objectives

Educational Objectives

The major objective of the Radiation Oncology Residency Training Program is to train highly skilled radiation oncologists to be familiar with the most advanced techniques in clinical treatment and to understand the principles of cancer therapy.

Program Goals

In addition to excellent clinical training, the goal is to provide residents with a meaningful research experience. Residents will be proficient in each of the subspecialties within radiation oncology and have the ability to plan complex treatments, including stereotactic radiosurgery and brachytherapy.
Residents will be proficient in radiation biology and radiation physics concepts to allow for board certification
The overall educational goal of the Radiation Oncology Residency Training Program is to graduate residents prepared to fill leadership positions in the field of radiation oncology in future years
Residents will conduct research in clinical, biological, and physical sciences. Research will result in presentations at national meetings, publications, and competition for funding from societies and foundations.

Rotations

Clinical Radiation Oncology

The objective of the Clinical Radiation Oncology Rotation is to teach the most advanced techniques in clinical treatment and the principles of cancer therapy in each of the subspecialties within radiation oncology. By the completion of the Residency Program, the residents will be able to:

Perform histories, physicals, diagnostic evaluations, and staging appropriate to specific malignancies
Prescribe and implement radiation therapy specific to a particular tumor site and histology utilizing external beam irradiation, including intensity modulated radiation therapy and stereotactic radiosurgery, or brachytherapy
Be aware of other treatment modalities available for treatment of specific malignancies and know how to integrate combined-modality therapies
Develop communication skills required to establish working relationships with medical and surgical oncologists and other medical professionals

Medical Oncology (Adult and Pediatric)

Residents will assist adult and pediatric medical oncologists in the care of patients in the hospital and in outpatient clinics. At the completion of the Medical Oncology Rotation, they will be able to:

Perform history and physical examinations appropriate to patients with various forms of cancer, with particular attention to examination of the primary site and common sites of spread of the particular type of malignancy
Stage the cancer
Interpret radiographic studies and recognize pertinent pathologic findings
Understand the various types of treatment for the specific age ranges and malignancies

Radiation Physics

The objective of the Radiation Physics Rotation is to teach basic principles of radiation physics, basic methods of external beam dosimetry, interstitial and intracavitary dosimetry, and principles and practices of intensity-modulated radiation therapy. We also aim to provide outstanding clinical physics training for residents for safe, effective, and efficient delivery of radiation treatments.

Radiation Biology

The Radiation Biology Rotation provides instruction in the interaction of radiation with normal and malignant tissues, early and late effects of radiation, various types of radiation used for therapy, and training in radiation safety. Residents will apply this knowledge in the selection of safe and effective treatments for patients and will prepare for the board certification examination in radiation oncology. Residents also may spend elective time in radiation biology research.

Multidisciplinary Conferences and Tumor Boards

Residents will attend multidisciplinary conferences and present cases as needed. They will accumulate skills and experience to:

Recognize the common presentations and physical findings in patients with particular types of malignancies, including common routes of spread of disease
Know the various means of obtaining tissue for diagnosis, which methods are best for particular types of tumors, and recognize the difference between benign and malignant tissues on pathologic review
Be able to interpret plain films, CT scans, MRI, and nuclear medicine studies for diagnosis and staging of patients
Be familiar with the different modalities used in treatment of various malignancies (surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy) and which types of treatment are most effective for a particular type or stage of malignancy

Clinical Lectures

Lectures will be provided to supplement teaching in the various rotations within the Radiation Oncology Residency Training Program and are also available in other areas of UT Southwestern. Goals of these lectures are to provide specific information on various disease processes and treatment options, as well as to provide a forum for discussion.

Electives

Residents may spend elective time in clinical or research rotations. Residents may elect to concentrate more heavily in one of the areas of disease already covered in the mandatory rotations, or to spend the time at a facility offering a modality not available at UT Southwestern. In either case, the goals of the rotation would be the same as the goals for the mandatory clinical rotations noted previously. Residents may also elect to perform basic research in radiation physics or radiation biology, with the goal of gaining specific training, which will form the basis of a research career.

Research

Residency in Radiation Oncology