Radiation Oncology

The Radiation Oncology residency program offers training in clinical radiation oncology, treatment planning, radiation physics, and radiobiology, enabling graduates to provide comprehensive patient care as practicing radiation oncologists. This is a four-year program beginning in the R-2 year. The program accepts two residents annually.

Radiotherapy simulation and dosimetry (treatment planning) are performed by the attending/resident team, with the resident gradually assuming increased responsibility. The resident then follows the patient, under attending guidance, through the course of radiation and subsequently in post-radiotherapy follow-up clinics.

There are active programs in brachytherapy, stereotactic radiosurgery and intraoperative radiotherapy. An integrated multidisciplinary approach to the care of cancer patients is stressed. In addition to Radiation Oncology, specialists from Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Hematology, Neurologic Oncology, Gynecologic Oncology, and Musculoskeletal Oncology provide regularly scheduled specialty clinics in the Cancer Center.

Patient care conferences provide residents an opportunity to present new patient cases to faculty and other residents. Rationale and plans for treatment are discussed and pertinent literature is reviewed. Beam films and dosimetry plans are reviewed by the resident and attending staff during these conferences. Clinical didactics are provided through regular journal clubs and a faculty lecture series.

Each resident also attends, and eventually contributes to, a wide spectrum of multidisciplinary clinic-pathologic tumor conferences. Didactic radiation physics and radiobiology lectures are provided by departmental faculty. Didactic information in physics is supplemented by a one-month rotation in clinical dosimetry, providing residents with an understanding of teletherapy and brachytherapy, treatment plan development and interpretation, linear accelerator function and beam calibration.

Each resident is encouraged to pursue clinical and/or basic research under the guidance of a faculty member. High caliber work is submitted to scientific meetings; the resident might be provided the opportunity to present his/her research results in a national or international forum.

Because of the importance of computer software in radiation oncology, some faculty are involved heavily in computer science research and software development. Residents have the opportunity to learn about this and participate as their interest dictates.

For additional information please visit the Radiation Oncology web site.

PROGRAM DIRECTOR		PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR
James Douglas, MD		Karynne Tsuruda
Program Director		Program Coordinator
Radiation Oncology		Radiation Oncology
Box 356043		Box 356043
Room NN-146		Room NN-146
Phone: 206-598-4115		Phone: 206-598-4121
Fax: 206-598-3786		Fax: 206-598-3786
drjay@u.washington.edu		sayuri3@u.washington.edu