Clinical Rotations

Radiation Oncology Clinical Service

Smith and Mitchell looking at computer

In order to obtain the essential skills and knowledge, residents will spend a significant portion of their residency on the Radiation Oncology Clinical Services. Each physician faculty runs their own clinical service specializing in specific disease sites. Residents will rotate through each service at least three times throughout residency and potentially more if interested in a specific service/disease. Clinical rotations will vary in length each training year in order to meet the overall educational learning goals.

Department faculty clinical services include:

Faculty Clinical Service Topics/Disease Sites Special Procedures
Carryn Anderson, MD Head and Neck, Skin, Soft Tissues
Central Nervous System		 Eye Plaque Brachytherapy
Suershan Bhatia, MD Gastrointestinal, Gynecology, Breast,
Lung and Mediastinum, Soft Tissues		 Gynecologic, Soft Tissue, and
Endobronchial Brachytherapy, Extracranial
Stereotactic Radiosurgery
John Buatti, MD Pediatrics, Head and Neck, Skin,
Central Nervous System		 Stereotactic Radiosurgery, Extracranial
Stereotactic Radiosurgery, Craniospinal
Radiation Therapy
Bill Rockey, MD Prostate Prostate Brachytherapy
Mark Smith, MD Genitourinary, Lymphomas and Leukemias,
Central Nervous System, Palliation		 Stereotactic Radiosurgery, Prostate
Brachytherapy, Cardiospinal Radiation
Therapy, Total Body Irradiation
Wenqing Sun, MD Gynecology, Breast, Head and Neck Gynecologic and Breast Brachytherapy

Selectives

These blocks are additional clinical experiences that are necessary to further enhance the understanding of Radiation Oncology.

  • Radiology - An eight-week rotation that consists of a combined experience in Diagnostic Radiology, PET/Nuclear Medicine and Neuroradiology taken in PGY3
  • Physics and Dosimetry - A designated 12-week block that focuses on the clinical integration of Radiation Oncology and Physics taken in PGY4

Clinical Experience Overview

Learning Goals:

  • PGY2: Foundation and Exposure
  • PGY3 - PGY4: In-depth Understanding/Learning, Increase Responsibility
  • PGY5: Specialize/Focus and Autonomy
  PGY2 PGY3 PGY4 PGY5 Total Weeks
Clinical Radiation Oncology
(Faculty Services)		 48 weeks
6 8-week blocks
Exposure to all clinics		 40 weeks
4 10-week blocks
4 different faculty		 36 weeks
3 12-week blocks
Remaining 2 faculty,
Repeat area of interest		 40 weeks
4 10-week blocks
Resident choice of faculty
services		 164 weeks
Selectives 0 8 weeks
Radiology		 12 weeks
Physics and Dosimetry		 0 20 weeks