The Clinical Medical Physics Residency Program at University of Iowa Health Care is a radiation oncology therapy residency program that will prepare individuals to practice independently as a board certified medical physicists in Radiation Oncology.
Graduates of the residency program will have the experience, knowledge, and professionalism to implement and maintain clinical procedures and emerging technologies with a focus on patient safety. Key protocols and practices in radiation oncology will be reinforced through discussion at chart rounds and case conference and residents will critically evaluate literature through presentations at journal club. Residents will be encouraged to participate in clinical research projects and present their results at regional and national conferences.
Through a collaborative work environment, residents will develop the skills to work alongside a multidisciplinary team of nurses, radiation therapy technologists, dosimetrists, physicians, and administrators. The program emphasizes all areas of clinical training that will be needed by a radiation oncology medical physicist in a state-of-the-art academic treatment facility, as well as a single accelerator community-based facility.
Board Passage Rates and Average Score
Oral board passing rates for graduates of this program are available in our 2024 Performance Summary. Average oral board passing rates can be found here.
Number of Residents in Program
The Radiation Oncology Clinical Medical Physics Residency at University of Iowa Health Care has four residents in the program at any given time.
Program Graduates
The University of Iowa Health Care Medical Physics Residency program prepares graduates for a rewarding career in medical physics. The destination of program graduates can be found in our 2024 Performance Summary.
Virtual Tour
Educational Plan
Program Completion Requirements
The Clinical Medical Physics Residency Program is 24 months in length and includes ten mandatory rotations plus one optional proton therapy rotation, attendance at case conferences, recommended readings, and oral examinations. In addition to the experiences from didactic training and clinical rotations, the medical physics residents receive training through their participation in monthly quality assurance on the linear accelerators, IMRT quality assurance measurements, and high dose rate brachytherapy quality assurance. As the resident successfully advances through the clinical rotations, they will participate in weekly chart reviews, brachytherapy procedures, treatment plan checking, and “physicist of the day” activities providing first response physics support to all services within the clinic. The advancement of the resident through these clinical responsibilities is evaluated and discussed during quarterly reviews with the program director.
Evaluation
Following each clinical rotation, residents will submit a written report and take an oral exam. Residents will be evaluated on their engagement in each rotation and their competency in the associated procedures and tasks using a defined competency checklist. Following each clinical rotation, residents will take an oral exam which is modeled after the ABR oral exam process. Residents will receive written feedback based on their engagement and acquired competencies as well as on their performance on the oral exam.
Career Development
The environment and large patient volume at University of Iowa Health Care will prepare you for all aspects of clinical medical physics practice. Residents will receive funding for one regional meeting per year and one national meeting during the duration of their residency.
Participation in national medical physics or radiation oncology meetings is encouraged.