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Education

A central focus of UT MD Anderson’s Radiation Oncology division is excellence in education, training and lifelong learning. Through innovative teaching, multidisciplinary collaboration and mentorship from internationally recognized faculty, we prepare the next generation of physicians, scientists, and health care professionals to advance the field of radiation oncology and improve outcomes for patients with cancer.

Radiation Oncology’s commitment to education and training is foundational to UT MD Anderson’s mission of eliminating cancer and is deliberately structured to translate learning excellence into measurable patient benefit. Education and training in Radiation Oncology are not ancillary; they are embedded in clinical operations, research and leadership, and the division invests heavily in structured residency and fellowship clinical training, continuous faculty development and interdisciplinary professional education. Trainees and our multidisciplinary partners learn in a setting where teaching, clinical care, research and discovery occur simultaneously, reinforcing rigor, accountability and evidence-based practice. Our programs foster clinical expertise, scientific discovery, leadership and a culture of continuous improvement in cancer care.

Faculty serve as educators, mentors, curriculum developers and educational scholars, partnering with trainees to continuously improve how radiation oncology is taught and learned. Residents are active contributors to this mission through peer teaching, curriculum enhancement initiatives, leadership development and educational research. Opportunities for engagement include designing innovative learning experiences, participating in simulation-based and multidisciplinary education, developing digital and asynchronous learning resources, conducting medical education research, presenting educational scholarship at national meetings, and collaborating on quality improvement and leadership initiatives. This culture of educational innovation provides a dynamic environment for prospective faculty and residents who are passionate about advancing education, scholarship, mentorship and the future of cancer care.

Clinical Education & Training

UT MD Anderson’s Radiation Oncology division ensures a robust foundation for the next generation of radiation oncologists, medical physicists, physician scientists, researchers, dosimetrists and radiation therapists through education and training. By training physicians and allied health professionals in one of the world’s highest-volume, highest-acuity cancer centers, learners gain extensive exposure to common diseases, as well as the rare, advanced and treatment-resistant malignancies in a collaborative multidisciplinary learning environment.

Our multifaceted approach prepares clinicians and staff to manage cases across the spectrum of complexity while personalizing therapy and safely deploying advanced technologies. With this approach trainees learn how to directly improve treatment precision and mitigate toxicity.

The clinical and research training programs we offer deliver teaching and mentoring by our world-renowned leaders and experts in the field of radiation oncology. As mentors, faculty engage in teaching at many different levels – from the clinics to the classroom. Innovation in education through research and scholarship are supported and celebrated.

Our clinical training programs include:

Research Education & Training

Additionally, UT MD Anderson has strong institutional support and a dedicated team for research trainees.

In Radiation Oncology, education is tightly coupled with discovery through research. Trainees engage in learning through immersion in research activities and are exposed to clinical trials, translational research, data science, global oncology, health disparities and more to learn how new knowledge is generated and applied. The faculty mentor and resource support is unparalleled, which creates a plethora of presentation and publication opportunities.

Our goal is to create a workforce capable of rapidly translating innovation - novel fractionation, combined-modality therapy, adaptive radiation and biologically informed treatments - into clinical practice that advancescure rates.

Our research training programs include:

Graduate and Ph.D. programs via GSBS
Postdoctoral fellowships in Radiation Oncology or Radiation Physics
Early career pathways
Radiation Oncology Advanced Development and Applied Research for Medical Students
Radiation Oncology MS4 Elective
Introduction to Oncology Elective

Continuing Education, Professional Development, and Leadership Training

To support the ongoing growth and development of our faculty and staff, the division offers continuous education through Grand Rounds and interprofessional education series and professional/leadership development through UT MD Anderson’s Leadership Institute. UT MD Anderson trains not only exceptional clinicians, but future leaders, scientists, educators and clinical trialists. Graduates disseminate best practices nationally and globally, multiplying the impact of the institution’s educational investment and extending benefits to patients far beyond Houston.

Activities we host to support continuing education and professional/leadership development include:

Mentoring mixer/program for residents, fellows and students to showcase different research opportunities available in our labs, as well as clinical research opportunities. These events are important and give attendees organic opportunities to connect with faculty who have research projects that align to the trainees’ interests.
Continuing education (CE) comes in many different forms, including our monthly Grand Rounds, and monthly Radiation Therapy Education Regularly Scheduled Series (RSS) – all of which offer CE credits.
Monthly Physics seminars
Faculty-led teaching series occur weekly and align to the topic of the week. These Socratic-led teaching sessions help to develop clinical reasoning and intellectual independence through active learning.
Annual pediatric radiation oncology course, led by Dr. Arnold Paulino . This day-long hybrid course hosts residents and fellows from across the U.S. and around the world and serves as a supplement to residency training.
Annual Radiation Biology course, led by Dr. Ahsan Farooqi. This week-long course serves as a refresher to help prepare residents for boards.
Introduction to Radiation Physics lectures series for PGY2s, led by Dr. Sara Thrower. This introductory course introduces foundational radiation physics concepts to new residents and serves as a refresher for all others.
Annual Physics course, led by Dr. Sara Thrower. This course is offered throughout each academic year to provide Radiation Oncology Residents with knowledge of radiation physics, which will serve them during their career as radiation oncologists and as they prepare for board examinations.
Outreach, Network Education in Radiation Oncology (NERO), and Radiation Planning Assistant (RPA).
Simulation learning in physics and brachytherapy delivery, as well as central nervous system oncologic emergencies (ONC-Call Workshop).
Faculty also have access to UT MD Anderson’s Simulation Center and Education Practice and Workforce Advancement team, which have a dedicated staff of instructional designers who can help design outcomes-based education.
UT MD Anderson’s Leadership Institute

Patient and Community Education/Education Outreach

ProtonPals Patient Support Group

ProtonPals is a patient support and outreach program at the UT MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center that connects current proton therapy patients and their families with a community of survivors, caregivers and volunteers who have shared similar experiences.

Founded by former proton therapy patients, the program provides peer support, educational opportunities and social connections that help reduce anxiety and foster resilience throughout the cancer journey. Through virtual discussions, patient events, mentorship and volunteer engagement, ProtonPALS exemplifies UT MD Anderson's commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care and the healing power of community.

Project ECHO

Radiation Oncology actively supports UT MD Anderson's Project ECHO initiatives by extending specialized cancer expertise to health care professionals serving communities across Texas and beyond. Through virtual telementoring, case-based learning and collaborative knowledge-sharing, radiation oncology faculty partner with community providers to enhance access to evidence-based cancer care, improve treatment decision-making and build local capacity in underserved regions.

Participation in Project ECHO reflects the division's commitment to education, health equity, and the dissemination of best practices in cancer prevention, treatment, survivorship and palliative care, ensuring that high-quality oncology care reaches patients regardless of geographic location. View program information

Radiation Biology Course in Zambia

First initiated in 2018, the Radiation Biology course is an intensive three-day program, designed to deliver a concentrated educational experience compared with the institution’s internal five-day resident course.

While the foundational radiobiology curriculum remains stable, grounded in well-established experimental data from the 1970s–1990s, the content is regularly updated to reflect emerging evidence in proton therapy, radiotherapy–immunotherapy combinations and other evolving targeted treatment strategies.

A recent enhancement includes providing participants with access to prior internal course recordings, enabling pre-course preparation and post-course review ahead of examinations.

CATALYST Program

Radiation Oncology also participates in the UT MD Anderson Cancer Advanced Training and Learning of Young Scientists (CATALYST) Program, a premier summer research training initiative sponsored by the Education and Training division.

Co-directed by Radiation Oncology faculty member Khandan Keyomarsi, Ph.D., CATALYST offers diverse research experiences for undergraduate, graduate, medical and postdoctoral trainees through more than 20 individual programs.

The programs provide hands-on exposure to cancer research, mentorship from world-renowned faculty and professional development opportunities that inspire the next generation of cancer scientists. Supported by substantial federal, state, philanthropic and institutional funding, including competitive training grants, CATALYST serves as a cornerstone of UT MD Anderson's research workforce development efforts.

Collectively, the umbrella program hosts nearly 300 trainees annually, fostering a vibrant learning environment that advances scientific discovery, innovation and the future of cancer care.