Imaging Physics Residency Program
The residency program is a two-year clinical training program at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center for medical physicists who intend to work in imaging physics and wish to qualify for examination by the American Board of Radiology (ABR) the American Board of Medical Physics (ABMP) or the American Board of Science in Nuclear Medicine (ABSNM).
The program is accredited by the Commission of Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs, Inc. (CAMPEP).
Objectives
The objective of the residency program is to provide structured clinical medical imaging physics training and experience to individuals wishing to practice professional medical physics.
Residents, working under the supervision of Board-certified medical physicists, will participate in the breath of routine clinical duties of a medical imaging physicist.The resident will gain experience with the full range of state-of-the-art medical imaging equipment.
At the conclusion of the program the resident will demonstrate competency in:
- Evaluating radiological and medical nuclear imaging equipment performance
- Developing quality control procedures
- Planning for purchase of equipment, site preparation and testing
- Estimate patient radiation doses
- Monitoring a radiation safety program
- Investigating abnormal radiation exposures
- Providing consultation regarding technical aspects of equipment purchase
- Providing in-service instruction regarding radiation safety and imaging physics
- Performing clinical investigation in medical imaging physics
- Consulting on imaging problems, quality and artifacts
Training
First Year: In parallel with remedial didactic course work offered through The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS), the following broad areas will be covered during the first year of residency:
- X-ray, CT, MR, ultrasound and nuclear medicine equipment performance, evaluation, acceptance testing and quality control
- Image receptor review
- Quality control programs
- Radiation safety surveys
- Patient dose monitoring
- Additional experiences in equipment purchase, design of QA and radiation safety programs, x-ray shielding design, patient doses, and image quality improvement
Second Year: During the second year of residency the resident will be assigned duties to be completed under the direction of medical physics faculty and staff. The resident will be involved in the same types of experiences as the first year, but will work more independently. The resident will take responsibility for equipment performance evaluations and patient dose monitoring under the supervision of appropriate qualified medical physicists. As required by state law, the overall responsibility for the medical physics service will always remain with a staff physicist.
Admission Requirements
Type I candidates must have an M.S. or Ph.D. degree in medical physics from a CAMPEP accredited program. Type II candidates will have a M.S. or Ph.D. degree in medical physics from a non-accredited program. One resident will be recruited each year.
The candidate must obtain a temporary license to practice professional medical physics from the state of Texas during his or her first year of residency.
Application & Selection Process
July 1 - September 15: Acceptance of on-line Applications
September 15: Deadline for Applications
October 1: Candidate Selection Commences
November 1: Candidate(s) Identified
December 2: Interviews begin
December 15: Candidate(s) notified
*Applicants will be required to meet all visa and documentation requirements.
Submit an application online. (Scroll to bottom of page, Diagnostic Imaging, Imaging Physics Residency, and apply)
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is a smoke-free EEO/AA environment.
Inquiries
Inquiries and applications should be directed to:
Charles Willis, Ph.D.
Program Director
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Blvd., Unit 1352
Houston, TX 77030-4009
(713) 563-2721(Office)
(713) 563-8934 (Fax)
Chwillis@mdanderson.org