Complex Radiation Oncology Fellowship

The Complex Radiation Oncology Fellowship Program is designed for physicians who want additional clinical training and/or research experience before entering full-time radiation oncology practice. The one- to two-year program offers a unique opportunity to expand clinical experience and refine research focus. Fellows may choose five disease sites as topics for rotations, or may select fewer sites to gain greater depth. The training is tailored to the individual fellow's career goals and is designed to cultivate areas of interest. Two to four fellows are chosen each year.

Program Objectives

• To provide focused, specialized clinical and research training in a disease site or sites 
• To provide a specialized fellowship in one or more areas of interest (pediatric radiotherapy, general radiotherapy, specific radiotherapy) 
  
• To provide additional generalized clinical training to well-trained and qualified candidates who are dedicated to returning to an international setting

The General Radiation Oncology Fellowship is designed to develop professional competence in the overall care of patients undergoing radiotherapy and to enhance technical skill in radiotherapy and brachytherapy procedures. Fellows work in clinical services for rotations of eight to nine weeks, participating in all aspects of radiotherapeutic treatment.  

The Pediatric Radiotherapy Fellowship is designed to further develop professional competence in the management of children with cancer. Fellows work in assigned clinical services for eight to ten months, with the remaining time dedicated to research. The pediatric radiation oncology trainee will be exposed to a variety of conditions including primary brain, soft tissue and bone tumors, neuroblastoma, Wilms’ tumor, lymphoma, leukemia and metastatic disease. Proton therapy, IMRT, total body irradiation and eye plaques are available treatment technologies in the department.  

The Specific Radiotherapy Fellowship is designed to develop professional competence in technically demanding areas of radiation oncology or in specific body sites.  Fellows work in clinical services for rotations of eight to nine weeks.  For example, the Specific Radiotherapy Fellowship could focus on one or more of the following:

• Proton therapy
• Brachytherapy
• Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy
• Immuno-radiotherapy
• Gynecologic Malignancies, CNS malignancies, or other sites

All fellows are required to complete at least one research project and are strongly encouraged to attend a wide variety of lectures, seminars, symposia, and conferences regularly held at MD Anderson, including a department clinical lecture series, as well as physics, radiobiology, and statistics courses. Additionally, the institution offers a core curriculum and competency series which are required for all first-year trainees.       

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must have completed a radiotherapy residency of at least three years. International graduates are required to train under a J-1 visa sponsored by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) and must possess a valid ECFMG certificate to be eligible for consideration. At least one year of clinical training in the United States is preferred.

Selection Process

Consideration of fellowship candidates occurs in June and July for a start date of July 1 the subsequent year. Application deadline is August 1. The Radiation Oncology Training Committee interviews candidates at the annual ASTRO meeting and extends offers based on the outcomes from the interviews.

How to Apply

If you are interested in applying, contact the program administrator, Dominique Pitre in May (through July) to express interest and initiate the pre-application process. Applications open in May and close August 1.