About the Program

Mission

The Department of Radiation Oncology works to provide the highest quality education to our residents. We direct that our patients receive the highest quality and safest care. We endeavor to select and retain the most qualified applicants. Integral to our efforts in the continuing advancement of the profession of Radiation Oncology is the mission of scholarship, research, evidence based care, and continual clinical innovation. We foster and require an ethical atmosphere, one of collegiality among our faculty, residents, and staff. At UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, our residents are able to work with the latest advances in cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment. We are committed to insuring that our residents receive an education with an optimal environment for them to achieve and advance in their learning and profession.

Accolades

The Radiation Oncology Residency and Training Program at UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 programs in the country for radiation oncology research, based on the number of articles and abstracts accepted for publication or presented at scientific meetings, by radiation oncology residents, by the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics.

Accolades received by our residents are listed individually on the current resident page.

Education

As a radiation oncology resident, you will receive superior education – in the classroom and hands-on. Our outstanding faculty will expose you to didactic courses in physics, radiobiology, clinical radiation oncology, and outcomes across all disciplines. Weekly journal clubs and case conferences will help to round out your multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary educational experience. In addition, visiting professors are invited to lead case discussions several times a year.

Clinical Programs and Training

Our expert faculty provides comprehensive training in all areas of oncology, including highly subspecialized fields such as gynecologic oncology and pediatric oncology. Due to Hillman’s strength across all subspecialties such as medical oncology, surgical oncology, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, and urology, residents will receive a large-volume caseload across all disease sites.

UPMC Hillman Cancer Center has a site in Ireland, which is an elective rotation site for UPMC Residents.

Residents will be introduced to innovative technology and techniques in their clinical training at Hillman. The Mary Hillman Jennings Radiation Oncology Center at UPMC Shadyside, the hub of our residency training, houses some of the most advanced radiation oncology technology in the country. Radiation technologies and techniques available include:

All residents adhere to a four-year rotation that includes all of these technologies taught by experts in the field of radiation oncology.