title: The American Society for Radiation Oncology's 2015 Core Physics Curriculum for Radiation Oncology Residents.
abstract: The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Physics Core Curriculum Subcommittee (PCCSC) has updated the recommended physics curriculum for radiation oncology resident education to improve consistency in teaching, intensity, and subject matter.
  
  
  
  The ASTRO PCCSC is composed of physicists and physicians involved in radiation oncology residency education. The PCCSC updated existing sections within the curriculum, created new sections, and attempted to provide additional clinical context to the curricular material through creation of practical clinical experiences. Finally, we reviewed the American Board of Radiology (ABR) blueprint of examination topics for correlation with this curriculum.
  
  
  
  The new curriculum represents 56 hours of resident physics didactic education, including a 4-hour initial orientation. The committee recommends completion of this curriculum at least twice to assure both timely presentation of material and re-emphasis after clinical experience. In addition, practical clinical physics and treatment planning modules were created as a supplement to the didactic training. Major changes to the curriculum include addition of Fundamental Physics, Stereotactic Radiosurgery/Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy, and Safety and Incidents sections, and elimination of the Radiopharmaceutical Physics and Dosimetry and Hyperthermia sections. Simulation and Treatment Verification and optional Research and Development in Radiation Oncology sections were also added. A feedback loop was established with the ABR to help assure that the physics component of the ABR radiation oncology initial certification examination remains consistent with this curriculum.
  
  
  
  The ASTRO physics core curriculum for radiation oncology residents has been updated in an effort to identify the most important physics topics for preparing residents for careers in radiation oncology, to reflect changes in technology and practice since the publication of previous recommended curricula, and to provide practical training modules in clinical radiation oncology physics and treatment planning. The PCCSC is committed to keeping the curriculum current and consistent with the ABR examination blueprint.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Center/Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan. Electronic address: burmeist@karmanos.org.
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burmeister
authors.affiliation: Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Indrin J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Chetty
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California - Davis, Sacramento, California.
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dieterich
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doemer
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Center/Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Dominello
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Rebecca M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Beaumont Health, Royal Oak, Michigan.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.affiliation: Karmanos Cancer Center, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nalichowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
authors.forename: Joann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prisciandaro
authors.affiliation: VA Ann Arbor Healthcare and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ritter
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Chadd
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schreiber
authors.affiliation: 21st Century Oncology, Fort Myers, Florida.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shafman
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California - San Diego, La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sutlief
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D010825:Physics / Q000193:education*; D018787:Radiation Oncology / Q000193:education*; D012955:Societies, Medical