Program Overview
The UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Medical Physics Residency Program is a two-year, CAMPEP-accredited program providing training in therapeutic medical physics with highly experienced and board-certified mentors. The objective of our residency program is to prepare trainees to be qualified medical physicists with ABR certification in the specialty of Therapeutic Radiological Physics.
The UPMC Hillman Cancer Center network is one of the largest integrated cancer care networks in the United States, including 26 domestic radiation oncology centers, and four radiation oncology centers in Europe. The Medical Physics Residency Program is based at UPMC Shadyside hospital in Pittsburgh, PA, but residents also rotate through other UPMC Hillman Cancer Center practices in Pittsburgh for training in specialized topics. Residents also have the option of completing an international rotation at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center San Pietro FBF in Rome, Italy. Collectively, these practices offer a diverse assortment of technologies and perform a high volume of specialized procedures, including frameless linac-based SRS, Gamma Knife SRS, SBRT, HDR and LDR brachytherapy, 4DCT, respiratory-gated treatment, and TBI. All domestic practices in which our residents train are accredited by the American College of Radiation Oncology.
Medical physics residents receive comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance; life insurance; participation in the UPMC Retirement Plan; and 22 days paid time off per year, along with seven UPMC-recognized holidays and nine days to attend conferences and interviews. The salary for a PGY1 medical physics resident in 2025 is $62,000.
How to Apply
Our program accepts two new residents in even-numbered years and one new resident in odd-numbered years, with employment nominally beginning in July. Candidates for our program must have successfully completed a CAMPEP-accredited graduate or certificate program. Applications from candidates with either a MS or PhD degree are considered. Our program is unable to consider candidates requiring visa assistance. We accept applications through MP-RAP with an application deadline of December 15. Applications are reviewed by the Program Directors to determine which applicants to invite for a two-stage interview process: (1) phone interview with the Program Directors in January and (2) virtual interview with the Selection Committee in February or March. After interviews, candidates are ranked, and the vacant residency position is filled through the MedPhys Match.
Medical Physics Residency Program Statistics
| Applicants | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 0 | 0 | NA | 0 | NA | 5 | 6 | 0 | 27 | 35 | 58 | 52 | 45 | 76 | 81 | 87 | 63 | 92 | 78 | 76 |
| Offers | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Accepted | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Graduates | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Certified | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0* | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Number in clinical positions | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Number in academic positions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Number in industry positions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
*ABR part 3 exam was not offered in 2020
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