Therapy Medical Physics Residency
Background
The nonprofit status of NMPC has enabled the development of a structured educational and research mission, which is complementary to its clinical services. NMPC established a residency program in radiation therapy physics in 2005. This program was CAMPEP-accredited in 2009; the first medical physics residency program at a non-academic institution to achieve accreditation.
Our residency offers quarterly rotations at multiple clinical sites to provide broad experience with different LINACs, electronic medical record systems, and treatment planning systems. This experience includes, but is not limited to, 3DCRT, IMRT, IGRT, SBRT, LINAC and Gamma Knife based SRS, and LDR and HDR brachytherapy. The resident will typically spend 9 – 15 months in two of the following locations: Anchorage, Alaska; North Puget Sound, Washington; South Puget Sound, Washington; or Kennewick, Washington. In addition to gaining experience with different equipment, relocation provides exposure to different clinical cultures and workflows. Reasonable relocation allowances are provided to the resident between sites.
Several items distinguish our residency from others. Our residents have the opportunity to participate in LINAC commissioning projects, which usually include shielding measurements, beam scanning, TG-51, beam scanning report write-up, data table generation, treatment planning system validation, independent MU calculation program validation, and VMAT commissioning. It is our goal to give each resident sufficient HDR experience to satisfy Authorized Medical Physicist application requirements. Each resident also assists our Equipment Committee during calibration intercomparison workshops, in which the performance of external beam ionization chambers, brachytherapy well chambers, thermometers, and barometers are validated. Resident progress is monitored quarterly by having the resident submit a written report and sit for an oral exam given by the residency faculty staff.
The residency duration, work status, and certification status of our former residents is given in the table below.
Salary
Resident salaries are comparable to physician resident remuneration. Residents are employees of NMPC, and have the same health care benefits as employees, which includes dental and vision care. Employer contributions to NMPC retirement plans do not apply to residents. However, residents can contribute from their own income to a supplemental retirement program offered by NMPC. Resident membership to AAPM, NM AAPM, and ASTRO are reimbursed. Reading materials required by the residency are reimbursed up to $500 per year.
Application process
We accept both MS and PhD applications through the AAPM Medical Physics Residency Application Program (MP-RAP). Applicants must have completed a CAMPEP-accredited Medical Physics Graduate or Certificate Program. A grade of “B” or higher must have been awarded in the following courses (or their equivalent): Radiological Physics and Dosimetry, Radiation Protection and Safety, Fundamentals of Imaging in Medicine, Radiobiology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Radiation Therapy Physics.
NMPC offers a residency position starting in July that is filled through the Medical Physics Residency Match (MedPhys Match), and another position filled outside of the MedPhys Match, starting in January. Winter residents are typically chosen from the pool of unmatched applicants that are in our Rank Match list. We will begin accepting applications through the MP-RAP system for our next open position (beginning July 2025) on October 15, 2024. The application deadline is January 10, 2025.
Please contact Darryl Kaurin, PhD, DABR (dkaurin@nmpc.org) or Holly Johnston, PhD, MCCPM (hjohnston@nmpc.org) for additional details.