Diagnostic Medical Physics Residency Program

The diagnostic physics residency program is an integral part of the Department of Radiology at the University of Virginia. The program is governed internally by a Steering Committee, and externally by the Graduate Medical Education (GME) department which supports all trainees for the institution.

The University of Virginia Health System (UVA Health) is a nationally ranked academic health care center in Charlottesville, Virginia. We are a level 1 trauma center with 650 beds, 1200 full-time faculty, and 850 residents and fellows. Serving as a national model for excellence and collaboration, the Radiology and Medical Imaging program at the University of Virginia School of Medicine is considered one of the top educational programs in the country. Numerous faculty members are nationally and internationally known as leading authorities in their areas of specialty, with widely recognized contributions to trainee education, clinical care, and cutting-edge imaging research. We provide excellence and innovation in the care of patients, the training of health professionals, and the creation and sharing of health knowledge. Residents, fellows, and medical students gain clinical experience at the University Medical Center, which is comprised of medical and surgical facilities, outpatient clinics, a transitional care facility, affiliated hospitals and clinics, and the NCI designated Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center.

We are fortunate to have access to state-of-the art technology and equipment. The institution currently has roughly 243 x-ray tubes, including 15 CT scanners, 25 Interventional rooms, 10 MRI’s, 10 mammography systems, 2 PET-CT’s, and 1 cyclotron.

Those interested in applying should submit an application through the AAPM Medical Physics Residency Application Program (MP-RAP). Interested candidates are required to provide official transcripts of their undergraduate (displaying foundations of basic physics) and graduate work, along with documentation (e.g. certificate, copy/photo of diploma, signed letter from program director) of their completion of a CAMPEP-accredited MS, PhD or certificate program. Applicants, as required by MP-RAP, will also need to submit 3 letters of reference and a 500-word personal statement.

All applications will be reviewed by the Program Director and members of the Steering Committee following the close of the submission period. Each application will be evaluated using a standardized rubric that considers multiple factors, including:

• Academic performance (GPA, relevant coursework),
• Clinical and research experience in medical physics or related fields,
• Letters of recommendation,
• Personal statement and motivation for pursuing a medical physics residency,
• Communication skills and professionalism as reflected in application materials.

Applicants selected for interviews will be contacted via email with scheduling details and information about the interview process.  All candidates will be informed of the program’s timeline and procedures for review and notification at the time of application.

The mission of the UVA Health Diagnostic Medical Physics Residency Program is to produce graduates who can work independently as clinical imaging physicists. To fulfill this mission, the objective of our program is to provide clinical experience and technical physics training in all imaging modalities over a 24-month period, such that graduates will be well prepared for ABR board certification and for a successful career.

The training curriculum for residents is consistent with the requirements of AAPM TG Report 249 and with standards set forth by CAMPEP. The focus will be on learning clinical medical physics through equipment performance evaluations, safety and radiation dose training, subspecialty rotations, and clinically oriented relevant research.

In the duration of the 24-month training period, residents will complete 18 rotations of varying length which will cover the 10 following modalities or topics:

• Ethics & Professionalism
• General Radiography
• Fluoroscopy/Interventional Radiology
• Mammography
• Computed Tomography
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Ultrasound
• Informatics
• Nuclear Medicine
• Radiation Safety

The residents will also be encouraged to participate in research projects as opportunities arise. In the second year, the resident will be given ample time to practice working independently. A sample rotation schedule and their duration are summarized in the tables below.

Name

Role(s)

Clinical Rotation(s)

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