Memorial Sloan Kettering’s radiation oncology residency program is a comprehensive training experience that covers all aspects of clinical radiation oncology, radiobiology, and radiation physics, as required by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
Training emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach to the management of cancer, with opportunities to gain exposure to medical and surgical oncology, in addition to the full range of radiation oncology ACGME subsites. Our residents are encouraged to attend the multiple interdepartmental tumor boards and conferences, which take place daily.
Learn more about aspects of our residency.
While the education office manages the administrative framework, the chief residents lead the clinical and cultural transition for all incoming trainees. This “Resident-to-Resident” model ensures that new doctors are mentored by those who have recently mastered the same path, fostering immediate community and clinical confidence.
The clinical curriculum is a dynamically managed, four-year educational lifecycle. It is governed by a partnership between Program Directors, departmental leadership, and the chief residents, ensuring the program remains at the forefront of oncologic education. The chief residents serve as the academic architects, coordinating morning didactics, site-specific conferences, and the resident-led lecture series to ensure the material is clinically relevant and high-yield for board preparation. Both, Melissa Dawson, and Amelia Ellison provide the administrative backbone, managing the 8-week rotation blocks, milestone data tracking, and support the residents in their research and professional growth.
Expanding the clinical horizon, our residency program offers a diverse clinical experience across multiple high-volume locations. Residents rotate through our state-of-the-art Koch Center and specialized regional sites, ensuring exposure to a broad patient demographic and a wide variety of oncologic cases. This multi-site approach provides a comprehensive understanding of healthcare delivery in both academic and community-based settings.
- Breast: Simon Powell, Lior Braunstein, Isabelle Choi, Atif Khan, and Diana Roth O’Brien
- Central Nervous System/Mets: Yoshiya (Josh) Yamada, Adam Schmitt, Daniel Higginson, Luke Pike, Brandon Imber, Divya Yerramilli, and Amy Xu
- Gastrointestinal: Christopher Crane, Abraham Wu, John Cuaron, and Paul Romesser
- Genitourinary: Marisa Kollmeier, Sean McBride, Daniel Gorovets, Jeremy Setton, Victoria Brennan, and Himanshu Nagar
- Gynecologic: Kaled Alektiar, Marisa Kollmeier, and Vonetta Williams
- Head and Neck: Nancy Lee, Nadeem Riaz, and Sean McBride
- Lung: Abraham Wu, Narek Shaverdian, Tafadzwa Chanunzwa, and Charles Simone
- Lymphoma/Leukemia: Joachim Yahalom, Suzanne Wolden, and Brandon Imber
- Pediatrics: Suzanne Wolden and Christopher Jackson
- Skin: Christopher Barker
- Soft Tissue and Bone: Kaled Alektiar and Yoshiya (Josh) Yamada
A hub for academic exchange education extends beyond the clinic through our robust conference schedule. Residents participate in daily morning reports, weekly site-specific tumor boards, and a dedicated resident-led didactic series. To support professional growth, we provide a travel allotment for residents to present their research at major national meetings like ASTRO.
Mastering the science of treatment, the foundation of expert radiation oncology is a deep mastery of its scientific principles. Our curriculum includes dedicated Physics Blocks and a comprehensive Radiation Cancer Biology lecture series taught by world-class faculty. These sessions bridge the gap between theoretical physics and clinical application, ensuring residents are fully prepared for board examinations and advanced practice.
The frontier of particle therapy and a leader in advanced technology, our program provides residents with hands-on experience in proton therapy. Residents learn the nuances of particle beam physics, treatment planning, and the clinical indications for proton versus photon therapy, gaining rare expertise in one of the most sophisticated treatment modalities available today.
Technical precision and mastery, we prioritize “hands-on” competency through rigorous procedural training. From high-volume brachytherapy (including interstitial and intracavitary implants) to the latest in stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), residents graduate with the technical confidence required for complex, invasive oncologic procedures.
Learning from global leaders, our Grand Rounds series serves as a premier forum for innovation. We host “heavy hitters” and pioneers from across the globe to share the latest breakthroughs in oncology, radiobiology, and medical physics. These sessions provide our residents and faculty with direct access to the evolving standard of global cancer care.
Tailoring your path, the final years of residency offer the flexibility to pursue specialized interests in a specific disease site. Whether engaging in our Oncologic Healthcare Disparities elective to address equity in care, or focusing on global health and policy, our elective blocks allow residents to customize their training to align with their future career goals, including the Holman Research Pathway.