Residency Details & Requirements
Residents participate at all levels of care, including consultation, treatment planning and evaluation, weekly assessment and follow-up, and are expected to assume increasing responsibilities commensurate with their level of experience.
Residents learn in a multi-disciplinary environment from experts in medical oncology, surgical oncology, pathology and radiology in a world-renowned comprehensive cancer center. Trainees have the opportunity to spend a full year dedicated to clinical, translational and/or laboratory research.
Eligibility, Prerequisites & Application Process
Application Process
The MD Anderson Radiation Oncology residency program (ACGME ID 4304822099) participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). All positions are offered through the NRMP. Outside of match positions are not offered.
Applications must be processed through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). All applications are carefully reviewed, and applicants selected for interviews will be notified electronically via ERAS/THALAMUS.
Interview invitations are extended throughout November, and interviews are conducted during the months of December and January (in person).
Eligibility
Please refer to our GME eligibility requirements and the FRIEDA guidelines for a complete list.
A sample contract for prospective trainees may be viewed here.
Program Goals & Objectives
Our Goal
MD Anderson Radiation Oncology Residency Program provides outstanding clinical training in radiation oncology, along with exceptional opportunities for research and academic growth, for the development of future leaders in radiation oncology.
Program Aims
- To provide outstanding education in the principles of radiation oncology, including oncologic principles, oncologic literature, treatment techniques, dosimetry, radiation physics and radiation biology.
- To provide robust, evidence-based clinical training in radiation oncology, in the full spectrum of disease sites across adult and pediatric populations, including technical expertise in various radiation therapy modalities and multidisciplinary treatment options.
- To provide excellent opportunities for clinical, laboratory, translational, and health services research.
- To provide education in quality improvement and patient safety.
Program Structure & Curriculum
Rotation Schedule
Residents complete 8-9 week specialty-specific clinical rotations with 1:1 or 1:2 attending coverage. Institutional call is completed early in training (PGY2 year) and is taken in one week blocks. Clinics are generously suppported by patient service coordinators, medical assistants, nurses and mid-level providers.
Example Rotation Schedule
| Block 1 | Block 2 | Block 3 | Block 4 | Block 5 | Block 6 | |
| PGY-2 | Breast (1) | Genitourinary (1) | Gynecology (1) | Head & Neck (1) | Thoracic (1) | CNS/Peds (1) |
| PGY-3 | Breast (2) | Melanoma/Sarcoma | Gastrointestinal | Head & Neck (2) | Lymphoma | CNS/Peds (2) |
| PGY-4 | Research | Research | Research | Research | Research | Research |
| PGY-5 | Selective* | Genitourinary (2) | Gynecology (2) | Selective* | Thoracic (2) | Elective |
* Selective rotation: Head & Neck #3, Gastrointestinal #2, or Houston Area Location Center
** Holman Pathway is supported, resulting in 18-21 months total protected research time
Radiation Biology and Physics
Yearly week-long protected Radiation Physics Course and yearly week-long protected Radiation Biology Course during PGY2, PGY3 and PGY4 years. Access provided to commercially available study banks for board review.
Planning Clinic and Noon Lecture Series
One hour sessions 3-5 times per week that are disease site focused. These didactics incorporate hands on contouring sessions with faculty feedback as well as lectures from MD Anderson radiation oncology faculty and MD Anderson faculty from other specialties (surgery, medical oncology, radiology, etc).
Grand Rounds and Visiting Professors
Residents have the opportunity to attend weekly Grand Rounds presentations hosted by various MD Anderson Departments as well as Radiation Oncology Grand Rounds presentations (12-15 per year) where international experts present on emerging topics in the field. Annually, the department hosts 2 Visiting Professors that are chosen by the residents. During Visiting Professor visits, protected time is provided for the trainees to spend half a day with the invited expert.
Electives
During the last year of training residents participate in an elective clinical rotation of their choice as well as 2 selective rotations.
Annual Mock Orals
Faculty led site specific oral examinations are conducted annually for PGY3, PGY4 and PGY5 level trainees.
We support participation in the American Board of Radiology Holman Research Pathway.
Global Cancer Care Track
We support participation in the American Board of Radiology Holman Research Pathway.
The Global Cancer Care (GCC) Track at MD Anderson Cancer Center offers a robust curriculum to prepare our trainees to be leaders in global oncology, which ASCO defines as "collaboratively addressing disparities and differences in cancer prevention, care, research, education, and the disease's social and human impact around the world."
Trainee Success & Program Outcomes
In recent years, our residents have won significant grants and awards.
- Competed successfully for RSNA Resident Research Grants (n=9), ASTRO Resident Seed grants (n=1) and ASCO Foundation Young Investigator Awards (n=4)
- Participated in the Annual AACR/ASCO educational workshop in Clinical Cancer Research (n=5)
- Developed multiple prospective clinical protocols as co-primary investigators
- Published as first author in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Clinical Cancer Research, JAMA Oncology, JAMA Network Open, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology, Lancet Oncology, Journal of Thoracic Oncology, European Journal of Cancer, Cancer, International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, Radiotherapy and Oncology.
Resident Publications
4th Year Residents
Vincent Bernard Pagan, M.D., Ph.D.
3rd Year Residents
Program Faculty & Leadership
Our faculty members are international experts with decades of expertise in all oncologic subspecialties. Many of our faculty have served as American Board of Radiology oral board examiners with recent/current examiners for every disease site, and several are members of our program's leadership:
Chelsea C. Pinnix, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Program Director, Radiation Oncology Residency
Emma B. Holliday, M.D.
Associate Professor
Associate Program Director, Radiation Oncology Residency
Jillian R. Gunther, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Radiation Oncology Medical Student Program Director
Comron Hassanzadeh, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Associate Program Director, Radiation Oncology Residency
Devarati Mitra, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Radiation Oncology Medical Student Associate Program Director
Seungtaek L. Choi, M.D.
Chair Ad Interim, Genitourinary Radiation Oncology Department
Program Director, Advanced Radiation Oncology Fellowship
Prajnan Das, M.D., M.S., M.P.H., F.A.C.R.
Chair Ad Interim, Gastrointestinal Radiation Oncology Department
Deputy Division Head for Education
Albert C. Koong, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.R., F.A.S.T.R.O.
Professor
Division Head, Department of Radiation Oncology
Denise De La Cruz, Ed.D.
Director, Education & Training
Email: ddlcruz@mdanderson.org
Meggan Miller, BSW
Education Program Coordinator, Education & Training
Email: MAMiller4@mdanderson.org
Tanja Calixto, C-TAGME
Training Program Coordinator, Education & Training
Email: TCalixto@mdanderson.org
Dominique Pitre, MSHA
Program Coordinator, Education & Training
Email: DCPitre@mdanderson.org
Vanessa Moya, B.B.A.
Program Manager, Education & Training
Email: vsmoya@mdanderson.org
Why This Program
Research
There are numerous opportunities for clinical, translational, basic science and health services research. During the PGY4 year, residents are offered a year of protected research time free of clinical responsibilities and call. Our goal is to develop future leaders in oncology.
Our Faculty
Our faculty members are international experts with decades of expertise in all oncologic subspecialties. Many of our faculty have served as American Board of Radiology oral board examiners with recent/current examiners for every disease site.
In addition to gaining unparalleled education and training experience, MD Anderson trainees have access to exceptional resources and benefits to help them build meaningful careers and lead fulfilling lives.
Conference Support
Our residents present their research at international and national conferences through generous financial support provided by the program coupled with days allocated for clinic absence due to conference travel.
Institutional benefits and support
GME trainees’ salary stipends are updated every year based on the ACGME’s recommendations, and because our trainees are considered workforce members, they also enjoy MD Anderson’s employee benefits, including health insurance, retirement planning, disability insurance and six weeks of parental leave.
Our GME House Staff Senate offers trainees the opportunity to experience a leadership role in a medical field career, and the institution’s Academic Mentoring Council provides avenues to secure tailored academic mentoring from faculty. Our GME trainees benefit from the extensive support offered to our research trainees, too; they are invited to participate in grant application workshops, apply for pilot grants to support their research ideas and receive monetary awards for securing extramural grant funding.
Trainee wellness is also of utmost importance at MD Anderson.
Our trainees have access to MD Anderson’s employee networks, fitness center and other wellness resources provided by the institution. Additionally, our Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC), which provides oversight of our accredited programs, regularly assess our trainees’ needs and implements various initiatives, such as providing free call meals and discounted parking to GME House Staff, to address those gaps. The committee even has a subcommittee entirely dedicated to supporting the wellness of our trainees.
Our efforts to ensure a welcoming and supportive education and training experience have been commended nationally. In 2023, the Office of Graduate Medical Education received the DeWitt C. Baldwin, Jr. Award, a prestigious national award that recognizes our institution for its respectful and supportive environment for delivering medical education and patient care.
Beyond MD Anderson
MD Anderson’s location has many benefits, too. Our main campus is nestled inside the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest medical center which boasts about 10 million patient encounters each year. Many of our faculty are involved in interorganizational research collaborations, both within the TMC and across the nation, exposing trainees to groundbreaking advancements in medical care in real time.
Most importantly, the city of Houston is a great place to call home and raise a family. We are one of the most culturally diverse cities in the nation. More than 145 different languages are spoken across the city, placing us behind only New York and Los Angeles. In fact, about 30% of the city’s population speaks a language other than English at home. And, paychecks here stretch farther than most U.S. metro areas, thanks to our low cost of living.
Visit our Why Houston page to learn more about our city’s affordable housing, fine dining, entertainment scene, nationally renowned museums and other great attributes.