In designing of the Program Curriculum, we strive to achieve the general goals described in the CAMPEP standards. The UF Health Proton Therapy Institute training program is designed to satisfy ABR requirements for obtaining Board Certification in the area of Therapy Medical Physics within two to three years depending on the track offered. The two-year track curriculum focuses predominantly on photon and electron external beam radiation therapy as well as brachytherapy. Meaningful prior proton therapy-related experience of a qualified candidate is one of the important factors for determining which curriculum track is offered.

As a prerequisite, successful candidate is required to demonstrate strong educational background in fundamentals of physics. Therefore, we expect our Residency Candidate to have obtained an undergraduate degree in either physics or an engineering science with at least three upper-level undergraduate physics courses that would be required for a major in physics. Furthermore, we require our candidates to have graduated from a CAMPEP-accredited graduate program (with MS or PhD) or a CAMPEP-accredited certificate program in Medical Physics.

In order for the Residency Steering Committee to ensure compliance of the Residency applicants with the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute's admission criteria, applicants are required to submit the following items (or as decided by the AAPM MP-RAP) for initial evaluation: 1. Official college and graduate transcripts; 2. A personal essay describing career goals and interest in medical physics; 3. Three letters of recommendation from the applicant’s college/graduate instructors and/or employers; 4. A curriculum vitae/resume.

Our Three-year curriculum covers the following range of topics:

• Radiation Therapy Workflow. Patient immobilization, positioning and blocking. Fabrication of treatment accessories. Absorbed dose determination. Basic Dosimetry Systems. Daily LINAC QA. Daily proton Gantry QA. Patient Specific IMRT QA. 
• Photon beams: Treatment planning 2D/3D. Electron beam therapy. Basic Dosimetric Concepts. Manual MU Calc. LINAC Monthly QA.
• Treatment planning IMRT. Dose prescribing and reporting: ICRU concepts. Fundamentals of plan evaluation, risk of normal tissue toxicity: QUANTEC review. LINAC Design. LINAC Annual QA.
• Treatment planning proton (simple and intermediate level). Basics of proton accelerators/delivery techniques. Proton interactions and RBE. Brachytherapy I. LDR. Radiation Safety and Regulations. Radiation Shielding and Design.
• Brachytherapy II (UF Gainesville Rotation): HDR. Prostate Seed Implant LDR. Special Procedures: TBI, TSET. Orthovoltage RT. Radiopharmaceuticals.
• Imaging for RT. Periodic QA, AT and Commissioning of imaging equipment. IGRT and clinical use of multimodality imaging. Social and economic aspects of medical physics: ethics, professionalism and leadership; good billing practice; budgeting and staffing.
• Special Procedures: SRS, SBRT (photon beam). Linac AT and Commissioning. Elements of Clinical Physics Support (chart check for photon (3DCRT, IMRT) and simple proton plans.
• Photon and Electron Beam: Dose calculation algorithms; Vendor-specific implementation of photon dose calculation; AT and Commissioning of TPS. Elements of Clinical Physics Support (chart check for photon plans and proton plans up to intermediate level of complexity, Simulation & Treatment support).
• Proton beam: calibration, dosimetry, AT, commissioning and periodic quality assurance of clinical proton beam. Complex DS proton treatment planning.
• Proton Dose Calculation Algorithms, Monte Carlo simulations; Plan Optimization for IMPT. Proton TPS AT and Commissioning. Clinical Proton treatment planning IMPT.
• Proton beam Special Dosimetry measurements and calculations. Proton special procedures: ocular treatment planning and delivery. Radiation Safety, design and Shielding for proton facility.
• Optional Research project.

Institutional Support

The residency program is fully funded by the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute. Residents receive an annual stipend at the same level as UF medical residents of corresponding seniority. The UF Health Proton Therapy Institute Resident is hired by the Institute as a regular employee and, as such, the Resident is covered under the Health Insurance benefit plan and receives 18 "paid-time off" (PTO) days per year, together with 10 paid holidays a year. Additionally, Resident is given a paid time off for attending at least one professional conference per duration of the residency. The Institute covers Resident’s travel and accommodation. 

The UF Health Proton Therapy Institute's institutional support of the Residency, includes clinical and educational resources, resident office (cubicle space), conference room with audiovisual equipment and office support (copiers, Internet access, email account, desk telephone, web camera, etc.). As a UF Health Proton Therapy Institute employee, the Resident is given an electronic UF account, which allows remote and in-person (on and off-campus) use of UF Libraries and Databases.