Radiation Physics
Mary K. Martel, Ph.D.
Department Chair
- Departments, Labs and Institutes
- Departments and Divisions
- Radiation Physics
Our Radiation Physics department provides research-driven, safe, accurate and high-quality patient care in collaboration with radiation oncologists, conducts research and technology development to advance treatment and provides education on the scientific (physics) and technical aspects of radiation oncology.
The department has approximately 245 employees. These include approximately 55 Ph.D. faculty members and 26 M.S. professional staff members. Both faculty and professional staff members provide clinical service, whereas many faculty members devote substantial effort to research activities.
The department has the following functions.
Clinical practice
- Provide quality assurance of imaging and treatment delivery equipment and of systems and processes to ensure the optimal, accurate and safe delivery of treatments
- Provide clinical services in support of imaging and planning, delivery and patient-specific quality assurance of radiation treatments
- Provide similar support for satellite facilities
- Provide patient specific consultations as requested by the oncologists
Research
- Evaluate the potential of current practices and devices through pre-clinical treatment planning and imaging studies
- Collaborate with radiation oncologists in the conduct of MD Anderson and national cooperative group trials
- Advance the state of the art at MD Anderson and elsewhere through research, development, and translation of research into clinical practice
Education
- Teach and mentor students of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (Medical Physics Program)
- Teach students in therapy and dosimetry undergraduate programs
- Teach radiation physics to radiation oncology residents and mentor their physics related research
- Mentor and guide the research of postdoctoral fellows
- Mentor and guide the clinical training of radiation physics residents
General
- Evaluate, specify, install and commission equipment and systems appropriate for clinical practice and research
- Manage or help manage software and hardware systems for processing images, planning radiation treatments, electronic medical records, radiation oncology PACs and other clinical and research applications
Related Departments, Divisions & Centers
Radiation Physics education programs
Masters & Ph.D. in medical physics
The Department of Radiation Physics offers Masters and Ph.D. degrees in medical physics at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS), a unit of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
- Read more about the Masters and Ph.D. degree programs at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS)
Radiation oncology medical physics residency
The Radiation Oncology medical physics residency program is a two-year clinical training program at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Post-doctoral fellowship
The Department of Radiation Physics offers opportunities for talented physicists to enhance their research skills by participating in our Postdoctoral Fellows Program. Postdoctoral Fellows are appointed by individual faculty members to work on specific funded research projects for terms of two to three years. Postdoctoral Fellows are provided the opportunity to broaden research knowledge by attending regular research seminars in the Department of Radiation Physics as well as Radiation Oncology Grand Rounds and Institutional Grand Rounds. A mentoring program allows the Postdoctoral Fellows and the faculty mentors to track progress towards becoming independent research investigators. Opportunities also exist to audit courses in the Medical Physics Program of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) in preparation for application to a CAMPEP-accredited residency for those who wish to incorporate clinical medical physics practice into their careers.
For more information on the Postdoctoral Fellows Program or to apply to the program, please contact:
Melvina Hackett
mkimball@mdanderson.org
Program Coordinator for Education Programs
Department of Radiation Physics
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
1400 Pressler Street, Unit 1420
Houston, TX 77030-3722
Advanced radiation physics fellowship for proton therapy
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Radiation Physics Advanced Training Fellowship designed to provide additional clinical training and research experience for the Medical Physicist preparing for a professional career in the field of radiation oncology physics with a specialization in proton therapy physics.
- Read more about the Advanced Radiation Physics Fellowship for Proton Therapy
CME short courses for medical physicists
Read more about other educational programs for high school, college, and post-graduate summer internships and year-long training program in medical dosimetry.
Other educational programs
Read more about the one-to-two week courses that cover such topics as dosimetry of high-energy electron and X-ray therapy machines and basic methods and calculations of external beam dosimetry.