Residency Training Program

Advanced Residency Training

Today's competitive environment demands rigorous scientific training for young academicians. The Advanced Residency Training at Stanford (ARTS) Program offers this high level of knowledge and intense training to physician-scientists. The program is designed to prepare you for a career that combines basic science research with residency or clinical fellowship training. The goal is to foster development of physicians with comprehensive scientific training. More>>

The Residency Training Program in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Stanford University is located on the campus of Stanford University in the Medical Center, 35 miles south of San Francisco. It includes the Stanford University School of Medicine and the Stanford University Hospital. Affiliated institutions participating in the radiation oncology training program are the Palo Alto Veterans Administration Hospital, the Children's Hospital at Stanford, and the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.

The Radiation Oncology Training Program is a four-year program beginning at the PGY II level. We do not offer a PGY I position, but encourage applicants to complete a straight medical or good flexible internship. All applicants must be eligible for medical licensure in the State of California. Graduates from foreign medical schools should contact the Board of Medical Quality Assurance, Division of Licensure, 1432 Howe Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95825 to ensure that eligibility requirements have been met.

A minimum of 36 months in the residency training program is spent in clinical Radiation Oncology Clinic, evaluating both new patients and follow-up patients. New patients are referred from other clinical services in our hospital, the Palo Alto VA Hospital, the Children's Hospital, and other institutions. Our average annual number of new patients is approximately 2000 and includes a broad mix of patients with all types of neoplasms. Our residents participate in the initial evaluation, staging, treatment planning, simulation, and therapy of their patients. They receive comprehensive training in orthovoltage and megavoltage external beam therapy (including whole body irradiation), electron therapy (including total skin treatment), brachytherapy (including experience with 192Ir, 125I, and137Cs, low dose rate, and high dose rate therapy), frame-based and frameless stereotactic radiotherapy, intraoperative irradiation, and radiolabeled monoclonal antibody therapy. The patient population includes a significant number of children. Ancillary rotations include a medical oncology rotation (in-patient or out-patient clinics), physics/dosimetry, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, and a brachytherapy rotation at the California Endocurietherapy Center.

Our interaction with other clinical departments at Stanford is substantial. We participate in many combined conferences and tumor boards. We also have a didactic series of lectures in radiation physics and radiation biology. Our residents are expected to present at least one seminar annually on some aspect of cancer research or management. In addition, at the end of the second and third years of training, they are required to take the Radiation Oncology In-Training Examination.

Opportunities for electives including laboratory research in Radiation Biology or Radiation Physics Divisions, as well as clinical research are available. The Department has a Kaplan Research Fellowship for applicants interested in a specific research experience. In addition, the Department supports the ABR Holman Research Pathway to certification.


For more information please contact:

Paula Louie-Leong
Residency Program Coordinator
Department of Radiation Oncology
300 Pasteur Drive, Room A-075
Stanford University Medical Center
Stanford, CA 94305-5302
Phone: (650) 725-4788
Fax: (650) 498-6922
E-mail:

Application Procedure

All applicants are to apply using ERAS. The required items for our program are:

  • a short autobiographical statement (1 page) explaining your interest in radiation therapy and your future career goals
  • photograph (does not have to be of professional quality)
  • preliminary transcript from your medical school is required
  • three letters of recommendation should include a letter from the Dean (or equivalent) of your medical school, and two members of your medical school faculty or other individuals with whom you have had a close working relationship. Individuals who have completed more than three months of an internship program or other post-graduate training should include a reference letter from the Director of Education or the Chief of the major clinical service under whom they trained
  • application deadline: November 15 of the academic application year (Dean's letters may be sent after this date; this will not jeopardize your application)

All of these items are included in the ERAS application process.

Stanford University Medical Center is committed to increasing representation of women and members of minority groups in its residency and fellowship training programs and particularly encourages applications from such individuals.