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Hi, I'm Dr. Eric Horwitz, and I am the Chair of the
Department of Radiation Oncology at Fox Chase
Cancer Center.
Located on the outskirts of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
Fox Chase Cancer Center is an academic institution
with an emphasis on oncologic training.
Our radiation oncology residency program
is an example of this.
The mission of the
Department of Radiation Oncology at Fox Chase
is to train future physicians who will
treat common and rare cancers, provide exceptional care
to patients, and become innovators and leaders
in the field.
As a freestanding NCI designated
comprehensive cancer center,
not only will you work with leading clinicians in
radiation oncology and other oncologic specialties,
but you’ll also be involved in research initiatives and
follow them from their conception
to adaption into clinical practice.
At Fox Chase, we have been training the newest
generations of radiation oncologists for decades.
Our program provides trainees with a broad
knowledge of clinical oncology, radiation biology,
radiation physics, and biostatistics through a
diverse program that incorporates didactic and
case-based instruction, clinical experience,
research opportunities and laboratory experience.
A recent analysis measuring US radiation oncology
resident productivity found that Fox Chase was among the
top three most productive programs for residents,
with one of the highest averages of
first-author publications per resident.
Over the years, many parts of our residency program
have been refined through feedback from our residents.
This feedback has inspired us to send residents
to a yearly anatomical contouring boot camp
and revamp our lecture series to a blocked
afternoon schedule, helping to create the most impactful
and effective schedule for our trainees.
We’ve long supported resident travel to presentations
and look forward to doing so again once it's safe.
As a resident, your experiences at Fox Chase
will enable you to easily meet all of the requirements
needed for board certification.
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Brachytherapy:
At Fox Chase, you will gain a wide breadth of
experience with brachytherapy for prostate, GYN, GI, sarcoma,
and some head and neck cancers.
You will get enough experience with this technique to be
comfortable in future practice, and many past residents
have gone on to start their own brachytherapy programs.
Hypofractionation:
For two decades at Fox Chase, we've set the
standard for different hypofractionated techniques,
from stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)
to stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS).
We led some of the original clinical trials
for both prostate and breast cancer in the early 2000's
and have continued to expand the use of SBRT ever since,
especially using SBRT to treat oligo-metastatic disease.
Pediatric Rotation:
Our trainees do their pediatric rotation at
The University of Pennsylvania
and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia,
allowing our residents to get high-level experience
without having to relocate.
Board certification is something on the
forefront of every resident’s mind, and for more than
two decades, our residents have achieved a 100 percent
first-time pass rate.
Our physicians are dedicated to
supporting our current residents in
continuing this tradition.
One way we do this is by incorporating
cross-institutional mock oral boards
into our program.
Rather than our residents simply doing mock orals
with department faculty they’re friendly and familiar with,
we exchange residents with other Philadelphia programs
to better simulate the real-boards experience.
Hands on apprenticeship is the cornerstone
of any residency program, and at Fox Chase,
our residents have the opportunity to actively care
for all of the cancer patients in our clinic.
You really get to experience what it’s like to be a
practicing radiation oncologist,
following patients on their treatment journey.
Along with clinical experience, our residents attend
on-site lectures covering the latest technologies and
basic science of the field.
This includes dedicated physics lectures
and radiobiology lectures shared with The University of
Pennsylvania residents.
Our residents have the chance to work with outstanding
and state of the art technology, used in both standard
of care treatments and in clinical trials.
One such example is Fox Chase’s work with the Microtron.
We are the only location in the western hemisphere with this
technology and are in the midst of a phase 1 clinical trial
that has practice-changing potential.
While Fox Chase’s advanced technologies
are a key component of our residency program,
our commitment to educating our residents
and overall culture are is important as well.
Our residents not only come here for an excellent education,
but also for the support network of attendings
and their commitment to the success of the next generation.
Our residents become a key member of the team,
and myself and Dr. Stephanie Weiss,
Director of the Residency Program,
are personally invested in your success.
Our commitment to you goes beyond your residency
and extends into helping you find employment post-training.
Past residents have had great success in getting
the jobs of their choice and in the region they desire,
and our attendings' connections, involvement in ASTRO
and other professional societies, and our own
professional advice will support you
as you look for the next step in your career.
At Fox Chase, our entire radiation oncology team is
dedicated to our residency program,
and we hope to welcome you onto our team soon.
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