The Clinical Medical Physics Residency Program is 24 months in length to include 10 clinical rotations, didactic courses and conferences, and oral examinations.
Medical physicists entering the program can expect to be exposed to a broad variety of external and internal radiation delivery procedures.
In addition to the experiences from didactic training and clinical rotations, the medical physics residents receive clinical training through their participation in monthly quality assurance on the linear accelerators, perform IMRT quality assurance measurements in film and ionization chambers, and perform electron cutout measurements.
A collaborative atmosphere encourages research with faculty in the department and university community to engage in a broad range of projects often utilizing the skills of bioengineers, imaging specialists, computer scientists and physicians. Our residents are not only prepared for board certification but trained to provide quality medical care upon graduation from the program.
Resident Success Stories
Wil Ferris, PhD
My residency at the University of Iowa prepared me very well for my first clinical medical physics job. The department offers a wide range of advanced treatment types (MR-linac, IORT, MR-guided brachy), all of which residents get ample hands-on experience with. For techniques that the department doesn’t have in house, the curriculum is set up to give residents a thorough understanding. They even sent me on a trip to a regional proton therapy center to gain exposure to that treatment type. The physics faculty have various backgrounds meaning someone will be able to shine a light on a particular topic, and their doors always felt open. My success as a resident post residency always felt like the priority. Aside from the education, the staff are welcoming, fun to be around, and a cohesive group. I highly recommend this residency!
Nick Carlson, MS
My residency at the University of Iowa was the ideal preparation for a career in clinical medical physics. As the state's largest academic medical center, it offered exceptional breadth—from MR-guided radiation therapy with the Unity system to brachytherapy, SRS/SBRT, treatment planning, and machine QA. My MR-Linac experience proved invaluable, giving me the confidence to commission a new program at my current institution, where I stood out immediately as the only physicist with that expertise.
The program's structure—rotation meetings, quiz questions, journal club, and teaching opportunities—reinforced both physics concepts and clinical application. Working closely with faculty physicists, oncologists, therapists, and dosimetrists taught me the multidisciplinary nature of radiation therapy, while the department's size kept me feeling like a valued team member.
The faculty were knowledgeable, approachable, and invested in my growth, and the strong sense of camaraderie made the experience personally memorable. I cannot recommend the University of Iowa Medical Physics Residency highly enough—it gave me an outstanding foundation for my career.
Yen-Po (Louis) Lee, MS
My residency at the University of Iowa prepared me very well for my career as a clinical medical physicist. The program provides residents with extensive hands-on experience in a wide range of advanced treatment techniques, including MR-based adaptive therapy, SBRT, Gamma Knife SRS, brachytherapy, as well as special procedures such as TBI and TSET. These experiences helped me feel confident and comfortable transitioning into my clinical role and were also extremely helpful in preparing for the ABR Part 2 and Part 3 board certification exams.
In addition to strong clinical training, the program offers opportunities to participate in clinical projects and teaching, which helped prepare me for pursuing an academic career. The faculty and staff are welcoming, supportive, and always approachable, and their doors always felt open. They were also very supportive during my job search and helped me build valuable professional connections. I am very grateful for my experience at the University of Iowa and highly recommend this residency program!