Radiation Oncology Residency Program
Welcome to the Radiation Oncology Program at the University of Alberta.
ESTABLISHED
ONE OF THE OLDEST AND MOST ESTABLISHED RADIATION ONCOLOGY RESIDENCY PROGRAMS IN CANADA
fLEXIBILITY
ONE ON ONE PRECEPTOR TRAINING MODEL WITH FLEXIBILITY TO CUSTOMIZE ONE'S LEARNING EXPEREINCE
RESIDENT GROUP
COHESIVE, KIND, AND MOTIVATED RESIDENT GROUP
Interview/CaRMS Information
Two 15-minute panel interviews over Zoom.
- Collaboration skills
- Evidence of prior collaboration
- Collegiality
- Awareness of collegiality
- Communication skills
- Demonstration of communication skills
- Health advocacy
- Awareness of health advocacy issues
- Interest in the discipline
- Understanding of discipline
- Interest in the program
- Understanding of program
- Leadership skills
- Evidence/examples of leadership
- Professionalism
- Awareness of importance of professionalism
- Scholarly activities
- Evidence of scholarly involvement
We do not consider any information gathered outside of the CaRMS application and local interview processes.
The number of Radiation Oncology electives completed will not be taken into consideration this year, given the limitations presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Contact Us
Dr. Adele Duimering
Program Director
Email: adele.duimering@ahs.ca
Helena Baines
Program Administrator
Email: helena.baines@ahs.ca
Dr. Adele Duimering
Program Director
Helena Baines
Program Administrator
WELCOME TO OUR PROGRAM
Thank you for considering the Radiation Oncology residency program at the University of Alberta.
Our program is one of the oldest in Canada and is well-known for producing, excellent well-rounded radiation oncologists. We have a second-to-none supportive learning environment, and access to the latest treatment technologies.
Goals of the Program
Our residency program is dedicated to producing well-trained dedicated radiation oncologists who provide exemplary patient care. We prepare our graduates to promote the academic aspects of our discipline and to take on leadership roles in medical education and healthcare administration.
To achieve these goals, our program actively promotes the specialty to medical students through involvement in the undergraduate curriculum, shadowing and research opportunities, and teaching and information sessions. Once promising candidates have been accepted into our program, it is our goal to provide an excellent five-year training experience as directed by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada's Radiation Oncology Specialty Committee.
Please take a look around our site, and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the program director, Dr. Adele Duimering.
Dr. Adele Duimering
Program Director
Our Program
Our program is friendly and easy-going. The residents enjoy excellent learning without compromising on time available for individual pursuits.
Program Highlights
We offer one-on-one rotations with preceptors, which allows time for non-service activities, including research, education, and leadership pursuits.
Residents are funded for three to four international conferences, two review courses, a radiology / anatomy / contouring course, and a radiobiology course.
Career planning starts in first year. The staff and program director have a network of connections to help you get the job or fellowship you want.
Access to state-of-the-art technology, including MR linac and GammaKnife units.
Each resident is assigned an academic advisor who is there to provide mentorship and support throughout the five years.
Residency at a Glance
Radiation Oncology is a five-year residency program with direct entry from medical school. Click the drop-downs to learn about each year of the program.
This is the longest stage of residency, typically spanning PGY-2-4, with a focus on building the resident’s skills in Radiation Oncology. Training takes place at the Cross Cancer Institute, with the exception of a one-month community oncology rotation. Residents are paired one-on-one with a preceptor for two- or three-month blocks, rotating through all major tumour sites at least twice. To guide their reading alongside clinical rotations, residents are provided a study guide at the beginning of each rotation and write a formative quiz at the end of each rotation. Mock oral examinations are given with increasing frequency over the years, to help prepare residents for the Royal College exam. PGY-2-5 residents write an in-training examination yearly.
Didactic teaching is provided during the Core stage. Midway through PGY-2, residents start coursework in Basic Physics and Treatment Planning, with weekly lectures by our Medical Physicists. A Radiobiology course is provided, overseen by members of the Division of Experimental Oncology. In PGY-3 or PGY-4, one month is set aside as Clinical Physics Month, where residents are exempt from clinical duties and are led by the Medical Physicists and Dosimetrists to apply the basic knowledge learned in their previous physics courses to clinical scenarios. A written examination is given after each course.
The Chief Resident coordinates resident delivery of Thursday Resident Rounds, Journal Club, and M&M Rounds, between September and June.
Friday afternoons are designated academic protected time; during this time the residents attend Academic Half Day lectures (September through June), study, and work on research.
Residents meet with the program director each year to customize their rotation schedule. They may take up to 6 months of research and/or elective time during residency, and we leave it to each resident to decide how they would like to structure this.
Residents write the Royal College certification exam at the end of Core stage. Leading up to the exam, a series of case-oriented treatment planning seminars are given by Radiation Oncologists to senior residents. Two half-day mock oral examinations are organized for all Alberta senior residents to partake in; one examination in Calgary and one in Edmonton.
During Core stage, the resident is scheduled to cover home call for 1 week every 1-2 months (frequency depends on the number of residents on service). The expectation is that junior residents (PGY-2/3) review all decisions with the on-call staff Radiation Oncologist prior to any actions being taken. Once a resident is in PGY-4, the necessity to review decisions with staff is left to the discretion of the resident. The on-call resident and staff are expected to round on the Radiation Oncology inpatients on Saturday and Sunday.
Residents are required to complete a scholarly project during their training. Pursuing additional research project(s) is encouraged. There are opportunities to collaborate with Medical Oncology, Medical Physics, Experimental Oncology, and other healthcare colleagues in clinical or basic science research. For individuals wishing to pursue an academic career, the Department of Oncology has sponsored MSc and PhD programs which can be integrated within a Radiation Oncology residency under the University of Alberta Clinician Investigator Program.
After writing the Royal College qualifying examination, this stage is intended to refine the resident's skills as a Radiation Oncologist. Residents will manage a Radiation Oncology practice at the consultant level in at least four tumour sites, gain exposure to triage and administrative roles, and tie up research loose ends.
TEACHING HOSPITALS
You may be assigned to various facilities, including the University of Alberta Hospital, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Misericordia Community Hospital, Grey Nuns Community Hospital, Sturgeon Community Hospital, and Northeast Community Health Centre
The Cross Cancer Institute
The Cross Cancer Institute is a freestanding cancer clinic on the campus of the University of Alberta. There are 45 inpatient beds and comprehensive outpatient facilities. The division of Radiation Oncology serves a population base of 1.5 million and treats more than 3,900 patients per year. The division is well equipped for the delivery of standard radiotherapy as well as conformal radiotherapy, SRS/SBRT, intensity modulated radiotherapy and both low, and high dose rate brachytherapy. A Centre for Biological Imaging and Adaptive Radiotherapy includes PET imaging and a 3-Tesla functional MRI unit. New technologies include a GammaKnife ICON unit and a MR Linac. The division is actively involved in national and international clinical trials.
Community-Based Cancer Centres
- Grande Prairie Cancer Centre
- Central Alberta Cancer Centre (Red Deer)
- Jack Ady Cancer Centre (Lethbridge)
Interprovincial and international electives are available only if arranged by the resident and approved by all involved parties (Residency Program Committee, Postgraduate Office, Alberta Health Services).
A one-month mandatory community based rotation has been introduced as of July 1, 2014. Residents typically pursue this in their PGY-4 or PGY-5 year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Residents are usually at the Cross Cancer Institute from 8 am to 4:30-5 pm on weekdays. They typically attend three to five half-day clinics a week. The rest of the time consists of treatment planning (contouring), research, teaching, and leadership activities.
Radiation Oncologists in Alberta make about $450,000 a year.
RESIDENT TESTIMONIALS
As a med student, Edmonton hadn’t been on my radar as a place where I might want to do residency, but when I visited for elective I realized it was the program and city I wanted to be in. The CCI is uniquely a stand-alone cancer centre, so coming to work you feel like you’re part of a big team, where everyone from the volunteer way-finders to the occupational therapists are working together to do their best for our patients. The ROs are friendly and approachable and the one-on-one preceptor model optimizes learning. It’s cheesy to say, but the residents are one big family; if you’re moving to Edmonton from elsewhere you’ll for sure feel welcome in this program. There is ample time for studying and research, as well as extracurricular activities like volunteering for PARA or moonlighting if you choose to. You’ll be well-supported by our program director in whatever you might wish to pursue; it’s nice to have someone batting for you all the way through.
– Dr. Adele Duimering, 2019 Graduate
Resident life at the Cross Cancer Institute is bar none, A resident's life here is really focused on meaningful clinical experience (really minimal paperwork), leaving a lot of time for self directed research and studying. Additionally, the people are what make the experience, and the people at the Cross Cancer Institute are fun! The pictures say everything. Life in Edmonton includes summertime festivals every weekend, kilometers of trail biking through the infamous river valley, and skating amongst the ice castles in Hawrelak park.