Department of Radiation Oncology

Medical Physics Residency Program

Thank you for your interest in the Medical Physicist Clinical Residency Program in the Department of Radiation Oncology at UNMC.  The Medical Physics Residency Program at UNMC began in 2001 and is now under review for accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Educational Programs (CAMPEP).  The Residency is overseen by the Medical Physics Faculty at UNMC that includes seven physicists (6 PhD, 1 MS) and five dosimetrists.  In August 2006, we received a grant for the development of Medical Physics Residencies from the American Society for Therapeutic Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).  Grant funds have been used to further enhance the residency program and to apply for accreditation.

The Residency is a two-year program that emphasizes clinical excellence and professional development in Radiation Oncology Physics.  The expected activities, objectives and assessments to be completed during the Residency are well-defined and are presented to incoming residents on their arrival.  The Residency includes didactic courses but the majority of time is spent in “hands-on” clinical rotations.  Residents are expected to become an integral part of the Department of Radiation Oncology performing clinical duties while interacting closely with the entire faculty and staff in a collegial manner.  The benefits of the Residency include professional career training, a competitive salary and benefits package (health insurance, free meal plan, books, vacation, sick leave) and travel to one professional Medical Physics meeting.  Graduating Residents are presented with a Certificate of Residency Completion and are expected to be well-prepared for a career in clinical medical physics.  Graduates are encouraged to become contributing members of the Medical Physics community at large. 

Potential applicants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with informational literature regarding the Medical Physics profession such as, (1) AAPM’s, “The Medical Physicist,”  (2) AAPM’s, “The Roles, Responsibilities, and Status of the Clinical Medical Physicist,” and (3) AAPM Report No.90, “Education and Training of Medical Physics Committee Subcommittee on Residency Training and Promotion.”  All three documents can be attained from the American Association of Physicists in Medicine headquarters (see http://www.aapm.org/). 

Applicants are expected to have a PhD or MS degree in Medical Physics, Physics or related field.  Preference is given to graduates of CAMPEP approved Medical Physics graduate programs but all qualifications are considered in the review process.  A complete application includes: A) A cover letter that contains a personal statement, B) A curriculum vitae, C) Three letters of reference, and D) Official transcripts covering the applicant’s graduate education.  Incomplete applications will not be considered.  The deadline to submit an application is December 31.  Final candidates are invited for a personal interview to take place by February 28.  An offer will be made by March 15 for admittance on July 1.  Please send application materials to the attention of Sumin Zhou, PhD., 987521 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-7521; or email: szhou@unmc.edu.  

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