Current residents training in radiation oncology at Tufts Medical Center

Our Radiation Oncology Residency Program at Tufts Medical Center is proud to train a diverse and talented group of residents. Each year, our residents bring unique perspectives and a shared dedication to clinical excellence, research and compassionate patient care.

Our current residents are engaged in rigorous training across multiple clinical sites, participate in research and quality improvement projects, and benefit from close mentorship by experienced faculty. They embody the collaborative spirit and professionalism that define our program.

We are excited to support their growth as they develop into skilled radiation oncologists ready to make a difference in the field.

Innovating cancer care with our radiation oncology faculty + residents at Tufts Medical Center

Our radiation oncology team at Tufts Medical Center is made up of dedicated faculty, experienced clinicians, researchers and educators committed to providing outstanding patient care and training the next generation of radiation oncologists.

Our faculty brings diverse expertise across cancer types, treatment techniques and research, creating a rich learning environment for residents and students. They are passionate mentors who support residents’ professional growth through personalized guidance, collaborative clinical care and cutting-edge research opportunities.

In addition to physicians, our team includes skilled medical physicists, radiation therapists, nurses and support staff who work closely together to deliver compassionate, high-quality care. This multidisciplinary team approach benefits both our patients and trainees alike.

Celebrating excellence in radiation oncology research

We’re proud to recognize our residents who have been honored with the Roentgen Resident Research Award, presented by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). This prestigious award highlights exceptional residents who have made significant contributions to radiologic research through peer-reviewed publications, national presentations, grant funding or impactful work in departmental research programs.

Award recipients:

• 2025: Chaewon Hwang, MD
• 2024: Abbas Rattani, MD
• 2023: Brett H. Diamond, MD
• 2022: Utkarsh C. Shukla, MD

These honors reflect our department’s commitment to research, mentorship and advancing the science of radiation oncology.

Build research skills in clinical + translational science in radiation oncology

Our program offers robust opportunities to engage in clinical research alongside expert faculty. Residents have access to active clinical trials and can participate in studies ranging from retrospective chart reviews to the development of investigator-initiated trials.

Through the Clinical and Translational Research Center, residents receive academic training in trial development and are encouraged to take an active role in research efforts. Each project is guided by a dedicated faculty mentor to support research design, implementation and publication.

In collaboration with our medical physics team, residents and medical students can also explore research topics in:

• Treatment planning
• Dosimetry
• Imaging
• Radiobiological calculations

These projects offer the chance to develop independent research skills while contributing to the advancement of cancer care.

Explore radiation oncology through our medical student elective

Medical student education is a vital part of our academic mission. Through a two- to four-week elective, we welcome Tufts University School of Medicine students to experience the full spectrum of cancer care—from diagnosis to follow-up—while gaining insight into the role of radiation oncology in a multidisciplinary setting.

What to expect during your rotation

During the elective, students become active members of the care team. You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Participate in initial consultations, treatment planning and follow-up care
• Observe and assist in patient care across a variety of malignancies
• Learn how we approach cancer treatment with evidence-based, patient-centered strategies
• Get hands-on exposure to the advanced technology used in our department

This immersive experience offers a close-up look at the practice of radiation oncology, emphasizing collaboration across specialties and the value of individualized care.

A strong foundation for your future

Our faculty are committed to teaching and mentorship. Students consistently note that their learning goals were clearly communicated and that they felt supported throughout the rotation. Feedback from past participants highlights the educational value of the experience and its positive impact on their understanding of cancer care.

At the end of the elective, students are invited to share feedback through a structured evaluation, which helps us continuously refine and improve the experience.

Radiation oncology resident call responsibilities + clinical rotations at Tufts Medical Center

Residents in the Radiation Oncology Residency Program complete clinical rotations at Tufts Medical Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and some rotations at the University of Massachusetts. Pediatric rotations are conducted in collaboration with Boston Children’s Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. This variety of clinical sites ensures residents gain broad exposure to diverse patient populations and complex cases.

Call duties are assigned in one-week blocks, with residents taking a maximum of one week of consecutive call at a time. PGY-2 residents do not participate on calls during their first two months, receiving focused training before beginning call responsibilities. Call coverage extends to both Tufts Medical Center and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Throughout the four-year program, residents take approximately 24 weeks of call. There is no in-house call coverage.

While on call, residents and their assigned attending physician manage all after-hours radiation oncology needs at their institution. This includes handling phone calls, performing in-house consultations and arranging urgent or emergent radiation treatments. These duties teach residents to manage common and critical clinical situations such as radiation side effects, brain metastases, malignant spinal cord compression, malignant hemorrhage, painful metastases and airway obstruction.

The program strictly complies with ACGME regulations governing resident work hours to maintain a safe and balanced training environment.

Important details about rotations and call responsibilities:

• Residents complete rotations at Tufts Medical Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the University of Massachusetts
• Pediatric rotations are offered in partnership with Boston Children’s Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• Call shifts are scheduled in one-week blocks, with no more than one week of consecutive calls
• PGY-2 residents are excused from call during their first two months and receive dedicated training before starting call duties
• Call coverage spans both Tufts Medical Center and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
• Residents take approximately 24 weeks of call throughout the four-year residency
• On call, residents manage after-hours radiation oncology needs, including phone consultations, in-house evaluations and urgent radiation treatments
• Common clinical issues addressed on call include radiation side effects, brain metastases, spinal cord compression, bleeding, painful metastases and airway obstruction
• The program adheres strictly to ACGME work hour standards to ensure resident well-being and training quality

Tufts Medical Center radiation oncology residency clinical experience

Tufts Medical Center offers clinical training that prepares residents to manage all stages of radiation oncology care. Residents gain experience across diverse cancers through rotations at Tufts Medical Center and partner hospitals, including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the University of Massachusetts. Pediatric training is provided in collaboration with Boston Children’s Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Residents are exposed to discussions of practice-changing and informing research papers and gain hands-on experience working closely with surgical, radiological and medical oncology teams, including extensive time with the radiation therapy team. Clinical rotations emphasize one-on-one learning with supervising faculty, providing experiential training with increasing autonomy. Regular feedback helps residents and the program director identify strengths and areas for growth.

While the program does not have formal areas of concentration, residents interested in specializing in certain techniques or diseases can explore elective opportunities with guidance from the program director and faculty.

Our program combines rigorous clinical experience with strong faculty support, preparing residents to become skilled, confident radiation oncologists.

Hands-on quality improvement training for residents

Residents actively participate in quality improvement (QI) efforts as part of their clinical education. Each QI project is interdisciplinary, involving collaboration with nursing, radiation therapists and medical physics. These projects offer hands-on experience in identifying opportunities for process improvement and implementing changes that enhance patient care.

As part of their training, residents attend bi-monthly Quality Assurance Working Group (QAWG) meetings, Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) conferences and QA Committee meetings. These forums offer structured education on clinical safety, communication, and regulatory expectations and prepare residents to lead improvement efforts in their future practice.

Tufts Medical Center radiation oncology residency program curriculum + training structure

At Tufts Medical Center, our Radiation Oncology Residency Program is built on a foundation of rigorous clinical training, evidence-based learning and personalized mentorship. We strive to create an environment where residents gain expertise across a wide range of cancer types and treatments while developing critical thinking and communication skills. Our structured curriculum and collaborative clinical rotations prepare residents to deliver compassionate, patient-centered care in diverse healthcare settings. We also emphasize scholarly activities, encouraging residents to contribute to research and advance the field of radiation oncology.

Structured radiation oncology training with milestone evaluation at Tufts Medical Center

Residents receive comprehensive hands-on training in all aspects of radiation oncology. From the start, residents actively participate in patient care—performing consultations, developing treatment plans, overseeing simulations and delivering various radiation therapies. They work closely with faculty to gain experience in both common and complex cases, including external beam radiation, brachytherapy, stereotactic treatments and supportive care during therapy. This immersive clinical environment is complemented by a strong foundation in the scientific principles behind radiation oncology, including physics and radiobiology integrated throughout the program.

Residents also have one protected educational day each week, held on Fridays at Tufts Medical Center. This academic day follows a well-developed curriculum beginning with two hours of clinical didactics and a resident-led journal club. This is followed by two hours of medical physics instruction and one hour of radiobiology education, both taught by faculty. The educational sessions are enriched by participation from Tufts School of Veterinary Radiation Oncology residents and Tufts University School of Medicine Oral Medicine residents, offering a unique multidisciplinary perspective on cancer biology and management.

As residents progress, they take on increasing responsibility under faculty supervision, ensuring a balance between independence and expert guidance. Weekly tumor boards and multidisciplinary conferences further enhance their clinical knowledge and decision-making skills. Residents also engage in research projects and quality improvement initiatives and contribute to the education of medical and health professions students.

To ensure consistent and structured evaluation of resident progress, Tufts Medical Center follows the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) guidelines using defined milestones. Each resident is assessed by faculty on every rotation, with performance reviewed regularly by the Program Director. These milestones cover key competency areas essential to radiation oncology practice:

• Patient care: Consultation, simulation, contouring and target delineation, treatment planning and plan evaluation, treatment delivery including localization and film review, supportive care during treatment, follow-up care, brachytherapy and stereotactic treatments.
• Medical knowledge: Applied sciences such as physics, cancer biology, radiation biology, clinical trial design, oncoanatomy and evidence-based foundations of radiation oncology.
• Systems-based practice: Patient safety and quality improvement, system navigation for patient-centered care and understanding the physician’s role within the healthcare system.
• Practice-based learning and improvement: Evidence-based and informed practice, reflective learning and commitment to personal and professional growth.
• Professionalism: Professional behavior and ethical principles, accountability and conscientiousness, self-awareness and help-seeking behaviors.
• Interpersonal and communication skills: Communication that is patient- and family-centered, collaboration within interprofessional teams and effective communication across healthcare systems.

This structured milestone framework supports resident development, identifies learning needs and ensures readiness for independent practice as compassionate and skilled radiation oncologists.

Expert-led radiation oncology training at Tufts Medical Center

The Radiation Oncology Residency Program at Tufts Medical Center provides comprehensive, hands-on clinical training designed to produce well-trained, board-eligible radiation oncologists who are confident, compassionate and skilled in multidisciplinary cancer care. Tufts Medical Center partners with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and other leading institutions to care for people with a wide range of diseases and conditions, serving patients from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Residents spend one-on-one time with faculty and clinicians, developing strong professional relationships and gaining progressive responsibility throughout their training. One full day each week is dedicated to didactic education that complements daily clinical experience.

Training encompasses a diverse range of treatment modalities, including external beam radiation therapy, interstitial and intracavity brachytherapy​ and radiopharmaceuticals. The program also features Gamma Knife radiosurgery in Massachusetts and northern New England. Residents first see each new patient, conduct detailed history and physical exams and review imaging and pathology. Under faculty supervision, residents participate in simulation, treatment planning and follow patients through therapy and survivorship care. Foundational education in physics and radiobiology is integrated from the start to enrich clinical understanding. Residents complete at least one research project leading to publication and a quality improvement initiative. Teaching medical, dental and other health professions students is an active part of the residency experience.

• Mission: To train residents to be part of a collaborative learning organization that enhances patient health through clinical excellence, education and research.
• Vision: To become a leading training program for radiation therapy where its faculty, trainees and alumni are recognized for patient-centered, high-quality care.  

Program aims:

• To develop mastery of the principles of Radiation Oncology, along with a proficiency in clinical skills to provide excellent care for a diverse patient population.
• To become professional role models with the communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively with patients, caregivers, and multidisciplinary teams to provide safe and effective patient care.
• To cultivate learning in an environment that supports teamwork, life-long learning skills and critical thinking.
• To develop skills, participate in education and scientific research in medicine.