Program Description

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Mission

Radiation Oncology Residency Program

Through high quality teaching, cutting-edge research and compassionate care provided to the patients in the Gainesville community and surrounding referral areas, our program aims to train radiation oncologists who excel in clinical skills, have a strong research foundation, and continue to contribute to the field of radiation oncology wherever they choose to practice.

We do this by:

  • Providing high quality clinical education using our dedicated specialized faculty and diverse technology at both our Gainesville and Jacksonville campuses.
  • Providing excellent training in radiobiology and physics such that residents are well-prepared for board examinations.
  • Developing clinical, translational and/or basic science research skills through mentored and protected research time, resulting in publication and presentation of results.
  • Developing future leaders through increasing responsibility and independence within the program over time, opportunities for leadership in various aspects of the program and institution, and support of resident presentations at the national level.

Program Overview

Welcome!

The University of Florida Radiation Oncology Residency Program has been in existence for more than 50 years, producing some of the most well-known and respected experts in our field. We are rated a top 15 Radiation Oncology Program on Doximity (2020-21). Our residents graduate prepared to excel in both academic and private practice careers. On average, 30% of our residents go into academic medicine.

We offer a four-year program accredited by the ACGME. The program accepts 2 new residents per year. Prior to starting the program, residents must complete a required PGY1 training program in internal medicine, surgery, family practice, pediatrics or a transitional year.

Current ResidentsThe strengths of our program include:

  • Large diversity of oncology cases and treatments at our main campus in Gainesville, FL, including SRS, SBRT, VMAT, IGRT, HDR brachytherapy for Gyn cancers, and treatment with various unsealed sources.
  • Specialized training in proton beam therapy at our Jacksonville, FL campus.
  • Highly skilled and stable specialized faculty.
  • Strong training in clinical research. Our residents are required to participate in one research project yearly which is presented at our annual research seminar, and usually results in publication and presentation at an international meeting.
  • A family-like atmosphere within the department.

Clinical Experience

Residents complete 3-month clinical rotations in the following disease sites: Head and Neck, Gastrointestinal, Genitourinary, Gynecologic, Thoracic, Central Nervous System and Breast. Six months total during the residency are spent at the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute in Jacksonville, FL, during which residents rotate on a high volume pediatrics rotation as well as an adult proton therapy rotation. To provide as high quality an education as possible in brachytherapy, residents do a 1 month rotation on the Brachytherapy Service at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, FL.

Research Opportunities

Excelling in our field

Our goal is to train residents to excel in cancer research by providing clinical and translational mentored opportunities. To that end, we have recently increase the amount of protected elective time to 12 months. This time is to be used for research, board study, and a required one month dosimetry rotation. Resident research is expected to be presented at scientific conferences, including our departmental yearly research seminar, as well as submitted for publication in most cases. We have an in-house statistician that helps with all resident projects, as well as an entire research department that handles editing of manuscripts, developing databases, the IRB approval process, and submission of manuscripts for publication.

Educational Program

In addition to the one-on-one education that residents receive while on clinical rotations, we also have a robust didactic schedule. There are 4 hours of didactics weekly:

  • 2 hours of core clinical educational sessions – these sessions follow a highly structured curriculum, and are led by faculty and residents
  • 1 hour of physics – led by Dr. Jonathon Li, PhD, one of our physicists with a commitment to education
  • 1 hour of radiobiology – led remotely by Dr. Barry Rosenstein, PhD, from Mount Sinai, who is well-known in the radiation oncology community for his excellent course in radiobiology

We also lead a mock oral exam yearly, and sponsor two visiting professors to share their wisdom and experiences with our residents every year. All education time is protected.

Links to Resident Benefits

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NATIONALLY RANKED

U.S. News and World Report

Nationally ranked in 6 adult specialties and 6 pediatric specialties and rated high performing in 4 adult specialties and 5 procedures and conditions.

Award