Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2009 Nov 1;75(3):896-905.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2009.05.009. Epub 2009 Sep 3.

American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) survey of radiation biology educators in U.S. and Canadian radiation oncology residency programs

Barry S Rosenstein  1 , Kathryn D Held, Sara Rockwell, Jacqueline P Williams, Elaine M Zeman
Affiliations

American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) survey of radiation biology educators in U.S. and Canadian radiation oncology residency programs

Barry S Rosenstein et al. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. .

Abstract

Purpose: To obtain, in a survey-based study, detailed information on the faculty currently responsible for teaching radiation biology courses to radiation oncology residents in the United States and Canada.

Methods and materials: In March-December 2007 a survey questionnaire was sent to faculty having primary responsibility for teaching radiation biology to residents in 93 radiation oncology residency programs in the United States and Canada.

Results: The responses to this survey document the aging of the faculty who have primary responsibility for teaching radiation biology to radiation oncology residents. The survey found a dramatic decline with time in the percentage of educators whose graduate training was in radiation biology. A significant number of the educators responsible for teaching radiation biology were not fully acquainted with the radiation sciences, either through training or practical application. In addition, many were unfamiliar with some of the organizations setting policies and requirements for resident education. Freely available tools, such as the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Radiation and Cancer Biology Practice Examination and Study Guides, were widely used by residents and educators. Consolidation of resident courses or use of a national radiation biology review course was viewed as unlikely by most programs.

Conclusions: A high priority should be given to the development of comprehensive teaching tools to assist those individuals who have responsibility for teaching radiation biology courses but who do not have an extensive background in critical areas of radiobiology related to radiation oncology. These findings also suggest a need for new graduate programs in radiobiology.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Decade during which the highest degree was awarded. The number and percentage of respondents for each decade are indicated.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Field in which respondents received their doctorates.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Percentage of respondents holding a Ph.D. in either radiation biology or biophysics as a function of the decade during which they obtained their degrees. There were no respondents who received a Ph.D. in radiation biology or biophysics during the period 2000-2007.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Fields in which respondents were performing research. Respondents were asked to identify up to three areas of research; 21 of the 66 respondents identified one or two areas of focus while the remaining 45 respondents listed three areas. The data reflect the number of responses, rather than the number of educators.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Research uses of ionizing radiation by survey respondents.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Use of the ASTRO Radiation & Cancer Biology Practice Examination and Study Guides by survey respondents.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. http://www.theabr.org/RO_Study_Bio.htm.
    1. http://www.acgme.org/acWebsite/downloads/RRC_progReq/430_radiation_oncol....
    1. Hall EJ, Denekamp J. Residency training in radiation oncology; radiation biology and cancer biology. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1992;24:847–849. - PubMed
    1. Coleman CN, Griffin TW, Prosnitz LR, et al. Training the radiation oncologist for the twenty-first century. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1996;35:821–826. - PubMed
    1. Hussey DH, Sagerman RH, Halberg F, et al. Report of the 1997 SCAROP survey on resident training. Society of Chairmen of Academic Radiation Oncology Programs. Acad Radiol. 2000;7:176–183. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms