Program Overview
Medical Physics Residency in Radiation Oncology Physics
The Medical Physics Residency Program generally lasts two years, but may be extended to three. As the program is accredited, residents follow the CAMPEP syllabus, working through a series of clinical rotations and learning modules in the radiation oncology physics specialty. They cover such topics as:
- The overall radiation therapy process
- Dosimetry, quality assurance and accelerator calibration
- Treatment planning, dose calculation and optimization
- Specialized techniques, including in-vivo dosimetry, stereotactic, image guidance, orthovoltage and brachytherapy
- Radiation safety and treatment facility design
Physics residents participate in all aspects of the clinical physics workload, and each resident will take the lead on at least one research project during their term.
The residency program prepares its trainees through rigorous study and mentoring from senior physicists. Graduates are generally ready to apply for membership in the Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine in the Radiation Oncology Physics subspeciality.
The funding of residency program positions throughout Ontario is supported by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care through Cancer Care Ontario. A general description of Medical Physics residency in Ontario is given at this link to the CCO Website. Some recent statistics (ex. number of positions, number of applicants etc. ) for the Kingston program is available here.
Medical Physics Graduate Students
Medical physics graduate students are part of the Department of Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy at Queen's, and their academic program largely mirrors that of their colleagues in other fields of physics. The medical physics program is research-based, culminating in the writing and defence of a thesis. Two courses in medical physics (PHYS 858 or its equivalent and PHYS 958 - see http://www.physics.queensu.ca/Courses/index.php ) are part of the program for all students; master's students take an additional two courses of their choice and doctoral students an additional five.
The program aims to produce well-rounded physicists who are experienced in a wide variety of situations. While the focus is on research in our non-accredited graduate program, most medical physics students will run several short investigative programs in dosimetry, radiation safety, quality assurance or other sub-fields of the profession, and will be exposed to many aspects of clinical physics at the CCSEO at KGH.
The requirements for admission into physics graduate studies at Queen’s University are described at here.
Admission
Radiation Oncology Physics Residents
The medical physics department usually accepts one new resident per year, for a two-year term.
The entrance requirements are as follows:
Residents entering a medical physics residency educational program shall have a strong foundation in basic physics. This shall be demonstrated either by an undergraduate or graduate degree in physics, or by a degree in an engineering discipline or another of the physical sciences and with coursework that is the equivalent of a minor in physics (i.e., one that includes at least three upper-level undergraduate physics courses that would be required for a physics major).
In addition, residents must either
- Have graduated from a CAMPEP-accredited MS or PhD graduate program, or
- Possess a PhD in physics or related discipline and have completed a CAMPEP-accredited certificate program, or
- Possess a PhD in physics or related discipline and have satisfactorily completed courses equivalent to those in a CAMPEP-accredited certificate program, as determined by the CAMPEP Graduate Education Program Review Committee (GEPRC).
Graduate Students
The requirements for admission into physics graduate studies at Queen’s University are described at:
http://www.physics.queensu.ca/Graduate/prospective.html
Potential students should check current admission requirements with the Department of Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy. The medical physics master's program looks for candidates with a strong acadmeic record and an undergraduate degree in physics, engineering physics or a related field; Ph.D candidates should, in addition, hold a master's degree in one of these fields.
Kingston Medical Physics
Residency Training in Radiation Oncology Physics
Program Graduates
Reverse Chronological List of Program Graduates
Name
|
Qualifications (Degree, Year)
|
Date of Graduation
|
Current Occupation
|
Logan Montgomery |
PhD, Medical Physics |
Sept 2023 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Kevin Alexander |
PhD, Medical Physics |
May 2022 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Kurtis Dekker |
PhD, Medical Physics |
July 2020 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Jean-David Jutras |
PhD, Medical Physics |
Sept 2019 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Stefano Peca |
PhD, Medical Physics |
Sept 2018 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Amr Heikal |
PhD, Medical Physics |
May 2016 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Michel Lalonde |
PhD, Medical Physics |
Nov 2015 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Tim Olding |
PhD, Physics |
Dec 2012 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Lourdes Garcia |
PhD, Physics |
Dec 2012 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Daxa Patel |
MSc, Physics |
May 2010 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Xiangyang Mei |
PhD, Physics |
Apr 2009 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Johnson Darko |
PhD, Physics |
Dec 2005 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Shuying Wan |
PhD, Physics |
Oct 2004 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Gregory Salomons |
PhD, Physics |
Jul 2002 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Stephen Sawchuk |
PhD, Applied Math |
May 1996 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Andrew Kerr |
PhD, Med. Biophys. |
May 1994 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Frank Chisela |
PhD, Physics |
Jul 1992 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Ted Sokolowski |
MSc, Physics |
Oct 1991 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
Moira Lumley |
MSc, Physics |
Jun 1998 |
Clinical Medical Physicist |
CCSEO-KGH receives between 20 to 30 applications for residency when a position is advertised.
Certification Attained: Of the past 12 graduates of our residency program, 11 have already attained certification through either the Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine, American Board of Radiology, or the American Board of Medical Physics.
Program Statistics
April 2018
Year
|
# applying
|
# accepted
|
# graduating
|
# certified
|
# in clinical position
|
# in academics
|
# in industry
|
2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2009 |
|
|
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
2010 |
25 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
2011 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2012 |
|
|
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
2013 |
33 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
2014 |
24 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
2015 |
36 |
1 |
1 |
|
2 |
|
|
2016 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2017 |
52 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
2018 |
38 |
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
2019 |
28 |
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
2020 |
28 |
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
2022 |
11 |
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
For information about program statistics for other programs in the province of Ontario, please go to this site.