Residency Program in Radiation Oncology Medical Physics
Our CAMPEP accredited residency program in radiation oncology medical physics offers clinical training and education by providing a structured and comprehensive educational experience in a progressive and supportive clinical environment.
At the conclusion of the program, the resident demonstrates competency and sound clinical judgment across the spectrum of radiation oncology medical physics practice. In addition, the resident is equipped with the required presentation skills, communication skills and insight into process improvement.
The program is designed to prepare residents for peer examination and certification by the Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine (CCPM) or American Board of Radiology (ABR). Residency rotations include:
- Dosimetry systems and QA
- Introduction to Radiation Therapy
- Clinical Radiation Oncology
- Radiation Safety and Shielding Design
- Conformal Treatment Planning
- Treatment Unit Commissioning and Annual QA
- Brachytherapy
- IMRT and VMAT Treatment Planning
- Stereotactic Radiosurgery Planning, Delivery and QA
- On-call Physics and Planning QA
- Treatment Planning System Commissioning and Validation
- Total Body Irradiation
Each rotation is overseen by one of 13 qualified medical physicists on staff at the Nova Scotia Cancer Centre in Halifax.
Admission
When available, vacancies in the residency program are advertised by Nova Scotia Health Authority and distributed via career listings on the Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists (COMP) and American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) career pages. Eligibility requirements include a graduate degree in physics or medical physics with completion of the graduate curriculum in medical physics specified in AAPM report 197S. Applicants invited for an interview will be required to provide proof of degrees and graduate transcripts.
The following table provides relevant statistics on admission and graduation:
| Year | Number of applications | Residents admitted | Residents graduating | Residents certified | Current activities of graduating resident(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 0 | n/a |
2013 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Employed as a Medical Physicist (MCCPM) at Nova Scotia Health Authority. |
2015 | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Employed as a Medical Physicist at Colorado State University. |
2017 | 33 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Employed as a Medical Physicist at BC Cancer Agency, Abbotsford. |
2020 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Employed as a Medical Physicist at Cross Cancer Institute, Alberta Health Services |
2023 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Employed as a Medical Physicist, Alberta Health Services |
For more information, please contact the Department of Medical Physics at Capital Health.
Department of Medical Physics
5820 University Avenue
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 1V7
Tel: 902-473-6020
Fax: 902-473-6120