Radiation Physics Residency Program

Institution

The sponsoring institution for the Radiation Physics Residency is the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (MGUH), a member hospital of MedStar Health, with over 600 beds located in the historic Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. MGUH is an academic partner with Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) and the Georgetown University School of Medicine. GUMC receives over $100 million in annual research funding and is home to numerous world class cancer researchers. The Department of Radiation Medicine is a central component of the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC), a National Cancer Institute designated Comprehensive Cancer Center since 1974, and Washington D.C.’s only comprehensive cancer center. The LCCC is a leader in cancer research, education, treatment, and community service.

The Department of Radiation Medicine was established at Georgetown University Hospital in 1979. In 2000 Georgetown University Hospital became part of MedStar Health, an integrated healthcare system with multiple hospitals in the mid-Atlantic region, and was renamed MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (MGUH). Current treatment technology in the Department includes two modern Varian linear accelerators, two Accuray CyberKnife robotic radiosurgery systems, one ZAP-X stereotactic radiosurgery system, one Mevion HYPERSCAN PBS proton beam therapy system, one Carl Zeiss Intrabeam system and one IntraOp Mobetron system for intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT), one Varian GammaMedplus iX remote afterloader system for HDR brachytherapy, one Varian VariSeed prostate seed implant system, and one Siemens SOMATOM Definition Edge dual energy large bore CT simulator with 4D and gated CT capability together with Varian respiratory gating for scanners (RGSC) system. MGUH was one of the first hospitals to establish a CyberKnife program with two CyberKnives and was the world’s first hospital to install the Mevion S250i HYPERSCAN proton system and the first proton facility in the greater Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Furthermore, MGUH was also the second hospital in the US and the first on the east coast to install the cutting-edge ZAP-X radiosurgical system for stereotactic treatment of brain lesions. Treatment planning systems include Varian Eclipse and BrachyVision, Accuray Precision, RaySearch RayStation, and ZAP-X treatment planning systems. Brachytherapy procedures include permanent prostate seed implants and HDR gynecological procedures. Special programs include total body irradiation, liver Yttrium-90 microspheres, intraoperative X-ray irradiation of breast surgical bed, and intraoperative electron beam irradiation of surgical bed of gastrointestinal cancers.

Life in the Nation’s Capital

As the Nation’s Capital, the Washington D.C. metropolitan area has many attractions including museums, parks, performing arts venues as well as an active nightlife. The Georgetown neighborhood is particularly known for its restaurants and shops both on M Street and on the waterfront. Washington D.C. is located between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay, and it offers diverse opportunities for outdoor recreation. Ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the #1 best city to find a job, it is an important center for health care where far-reaching policy decisions are made. The Washington D.C. metropolitan area is home to the National Institutes of Health, which comprises of 27 separate institutes and centers of different biomedical disciplines, including the National Cancer Institute, and many other federal government agencies, such as the FDA and NIST.

Education

A resident candidate should have completed most didactic courses required for this program in his/her Ph.D. or M.S. studies. Further education can be acquired through attendance of weekly medical resident lectures, department chart round and proton round throughout the year. When necessary, a physics resident may take a relevant physics course offered through the CAMPEP accredited Graduate Program in Medical Physics at Georgetown University or physics and radiobiology lectures offered to the medical residents by the faculty at the Department of Radiation Medicine.

Participation in clinical and translational research are strongly encouraged of the physics residents. The department supports resident’s travel for presentation of abstracts at international professional meetings and attendance of local AAPM chapter meetings.