Program Director: Stephen Karlovits, MD
Accreditation: ACGME
Program Length: 4 years (PGY2-PGY5)
Residents per year: 1
Our Radiation Oncology Residency Program is based at Allegheny General Hospital and is part of the Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute (AHNCI).
The radiation oncology staff includes 17 board-certified radiation oncologists who practice at 11 clinical sites.
The major objective of the residency program is to produce well-trained, competent, caring and compassionate radiation oncologists who can function at a high level independently in any clinical setting and use the entire spectrum of radiotherapeutic techniques. Additionally, residents acquire experience in laboratory and clinical research, providing them with the background to pursue investigational careers.
The merging of sophisticated technology with compassionate patient care in a collaborative multidisciplinary environment is the focus of our Department of Radiation Oncology. A significant commitment of staff and resources throughout the department, hospital, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, and Allegheny-Singer Research Institute ensure continual education and advancement allowing for the latest medical treatments to be available to our patients.
A full complement of sophisticated radiotherapy services is available, including multi-energy photon and electron therapy, 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, intensity modulated radiotherapy, intracoronary vascular brachytherapy, a high and low dose-rate brachytherapy service utilizing permanent and temporary techniques, stereotactic radiosurgery, fractionated stereotactic irradiation, total body irradiation, total skin irradiation, eye plaque therapy, and intraoperative radiotherapy.
Approximately 200 patients per day receive external beam irradiation resulting in a combined total of more than 40,000 external radiotherapy treatments per year. In addition, approximately 300 radioactive implants are performed annually, including more than 120 prostate seed implants per year.
Integral to the department is a board-certified physics staff which comprises 20 physicists (Ph.D. & MS) as well as 17 dosimetrists. The physics staff functions both clinically and academically to ensure a broad spectrum approach to medical education.
A sound clinical foundation in the principals of normal tissue tolerance to radiation and tumor dose-response is stressed in basic instruction in radiation biology.
A basic science experience is necessary to ensure continued development of new technologies for the advancement of patient care. A multidisciplinary approach with the staff AHNCI Cancer Biologist, Department of Pathology, and director of Cancer Cell Biology and Genetics emphasize translation of basic science work to the clinical care of patients. Exciting opportunities include instruction in oncogene expression, as well as tumor evolution. The residency program is affiliated with the Allegheny-Singer Research Institute.
The National Surgical Adjuvant Bowel and Breast Project, one of the largest cancer study groups in the United States, is headquartered at AGH and collaborates with us and provides unique opportunities for instruction and participation in national multicenter cooperative trials.
The Radiation Oncology Residency program is part of the Graduate Medical Education (GME) opportunities offered by the AHN Medical Education Consortium. Learn more about Graduate Medical Education.
