Varian Advanced Oncology Solutions Therapeutic Medical Physics Residency Program

About

Varian's Advanced Oncology Solutions (AOS) is actively recruiting candidates for our two-year therapeutic medical physics residency program. Following our recent acquisition of Aspekt Solutions and its renowned residency program, we are thrilled to offer exceptional opportunities at five distinguished sites. Join us in shaping the future of cancer care.

  • Site 1: Memorial Hermann Health System — Houston, TX
  • Site 2: Missouri Baptist Medical Center — St. Louis, MO
  • Site 3: City of Hope-Atlanta: Newnan, GA
  • Site 4: City of Hope-Chicago: Zion, IL
  • Site 5: City of Hope-Phoenix: Goodyear, AZ

The residency program is two years in duration. The intent of the program is to train individuals who have elected to pursue a career as a clinical medical physicist in community practice. The program will offer a practical and varied educational experience including training opportunities with a diverse set of equipment and treatment modalities.

Applicants must have obtained a graduate degree from a CAMPEP-accredited medical physics graduate program. Eligible candidates will need to have completed their graduate requirements prior to employment as a resident in the program. Both MS level and PhD level applicants will be accepted. There are two ways to apply for the Varian AOS Therapeutic Medical Physics Residency Program. Applicants are welcome to apply through the AAPM Medical Physics Residency Application Program (MP-RAP), which matches applicants to potential residency programs, or directly. Candidates are encouraged to submit their applications early as the number of eligible candidates is expected to exceed the number of interviews that can be granted.

Required to Apply

Candidates must also have the necessary paperwork to work in the United States.

Applying for the Residency Program

Varian Advanced Oncology Solutions (AOS) will be accepting resident applications once it receives CAMPEP accreditation. AOS will accept residents through the Match Program and will accept residents outside of the Match program.

About Varian

Learn more about Varian Medical Systems.

About Varian's Advanced Oncology Solutions

Varian's Advanced Oncology Solutions (AOS) harnesses the power of technology and clinical expertise to furnish cancer care providers with a wide range of services that help support, enhance, and expand operations and improve outcomes for patients. AOS is powered, in part, by medical physicists and medical dosimetrists practice groups with expertise in medical physics, treatment planning, commissioning, software development, and program implementation. AOS offers a competitive salary and benefits.

If you are interested in learning more about the Varian AOS Therapeutic Medical Physics Residency Program, please contact Deborah Calhoun-Spriggs at: deborah.calhounspriggs@varian.com or (412) 365-0737

Residency Steering Committee:

  • Jikun Wei, PhD, DABR Program Director
  • Nate Davis, MS, DABR Assistant Program Director
  • Brent Murphy, MS, DABR Assistant Program Director
  • Kevin Khadivi, PhD, DABR Associate Program Director
  • AJ Carper, MS, DABR Associate PD
  • Olivier Gayou, PhD, DABR Commissioning
  • Matt West, PhD, DABR Associate Program Director
  • Mattie Loucks, MS, DABR Associate Program Director
  • Amy Ettling, MS, DABR Associate Program Director
  • Philip Bardos, MS, DABR Associate Program Director
  • Rachel McCarroll, PhD, DABR Associate Program Director
  • Kayla Brown, CMD Representative
  • Jeffrey Maserang, CMD Representative
  • Karan Shah, MD Physician Representative

Program Graduates Statistics

Year Entering Program201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
Applicants662885413119210892807510089907573
Accepted323344343644535
From CAMPEP Graduate Program123344343644535
Graduates3132442436445--
                
Certification               
ABR Part I323344243644433
ABR Part II3232442435341--
ABR Part III223244233233---
                
Employment               
Academic               
Clinical2232442436445--
Industrial1  1  1        

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Varian Advanced Oncology Solutions?

Varian is a leader in the oncology space with products, software, and services. Advanced Oncology Solutions (AOS) harnesses the power of technology and clinical expertise to furnish cancer care providers with a wide range of services that help support, enhance, and expand operations and improve outcomes for patients.

Where are the residency positions located?

Varian AOS currently is establishing five clinical residency sites:

  • Site 1: Memorial Hermann Health System — Houston, TX
  • Site 2: Missouri Baptist Medical Center — St. Louis, MO
  • Site 3: City of Hope-Atlanta: Newnan, GA
  • Site 4: City of Hope-Chicago: Zion, IL
  • Site 5: City of Hope-Phoenix: Goodyear, AZ

Residency sites are selected based on adequate equipment resources, patient workload, and mentor resources.

How long is the residency?

The Varian AOS residency lasts two years. Many residents will start on July 1 of each year. This is to be consistent with AAPM’s match program timeline. Residents that are accepted outside of the match may start at a time other than July 1, but efforts will be made to start the resident at a logical time within the program schedule. The purpose of the residency program is to train residents to become clinical medical physicists. We have divided the two-year program into several 3-month rotations, including:

  • Clinical patient management
  • Imaging
  • Patient Simulation
  • Contouring and treatment planning
  • Patient QA
  • Treatment delivery
  • Special procedures to include SRS, SRT, and SBRT
  • Radiation Instrumentation
  • Radiation safety
  • Brachytherapy
  • Clinical program development
  • IS/EMR

For each area, residents will read specified publications, acquire new skills, complete a project, and pass an exam that assesses mastery of the topic. All 3-month rotations are performed at the clinical site. (Details are listed in the residency handbook).

Does the program take MS candidates or PhD candidates?

The Varian AOS Therapeutic Medical Physics Program accepts both MS and PhD candidates. The residency program does not have a third year focused on research. The program is ideal for the candidate who is interested in becoming a clinical medical physicist. Although there is not a third year dedicated to research, residents will have opportunities to engage in small physics research projects. These projects are typically oriented towards new technologies, new procedures, and data analytics. Varian AOS will support residents financially to attend regional and annual association meetings.

What is the interview process?

Varian AOS will participate in the AAPM common residency application, but candidates may also apply directly. Resident applications are reviewed in January of each year. Resident applications are evaluated, and virtual interviews are scheduled for the top candidates. These virtual interviews typically take place using videoconferencing tools like Teams, Zoom, or equivalent. Top applicants from the video interviews are scheduled for a virtual on-site interview. Virtual on-site interviews will be conducted. These will typically occur in March. Varian program leadership will either be on-site or available virtually during the on-site interviews. The candidate will have the opportunity to meet the program director, associate program directors, physics mentors, and program administrators. At the conclusion of all interviews, AOS will submit the top candidates to the AAPM National Match Program. Varian will pay up to $2,000 for relocation expenses.

Residents may enter the AOS residency program outside of the match. The interview process will follow the same process but may be on a different timeline. Varian AOS will determine the ideal time for a resident outside of the match to start the two-year program.

Bios

Jikun Wei, Ph. D, DABR

Program Director

Dr. Wei is the Chief Medical Physicist at the City of Hope Atlanta site and Director of the residency program. He obtained his PhD in medical physics from Purdue University in 2005 and ABR board certification in Therapeutic Medical Physics in 2009.

Brent D. Murphy, MS, DABR

Assistant Program Director

Brent Murphy is a seasoned medical physicist with over 30 years of experience in radiation oncology. He obtained his BS from Purdue University and pursued graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin. Mr. Murphy co-founded Global Medical Physics, Landauer Medical Physics, and CTSI Oncology Solutions, and has a strong emphasis on clinical training and education. Currently, he serves as Varian's Therapeutic Medical Physics Residency Program Assistant Director and Senior Director of Professional Services for Varian's Advanced Oncology Solutions. Throughout his career, Mr. Murphy has mentored over 20 medical physics interns and helped prepare more than 1,000 medical dosimetrists for their MDCB exams and 400 medical physicists for their ABR exams.

Nathan Davis, MS, DABR

Assistant Program Director

Mr. Davis is a board-certified medical physicist with over 20 years of experience in therapeutic medical physics. He obtained his BS in Physics from Indiana University and an MS in Medical Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has been working with this residency program since 2010. Currently, he serves as Varian's Therapeutic Medical Physics Residency Assistant Program Director. Mr. Davis is very proud of the graduates of this program and their legacy of success in the field.

Kevin Khadivi, PhD, DABR

Associate Program Director, Member of Steering Committee

Kevin Khadivi is a Board-certified medical physicist. He serves as the Assistant Program Director of the Varian AOS Medical Physics Residency Program. He holds BS and MS degrees in Aerospace engineering. After obtaining his PhD in medical physics, he completed his post-doctoral training at Johns Hopkins Hospital. For more than two decades he has served several radiation oncology centers, holding leadership positions over the last 17 years. Beyond program development and implementation, his present areas of interest are automation, high-level problem solving, brachytherapy, and radiation safety. He and his family live in Austin, TX.

Karan Shah, M.D., MBA, DABR

Physician representative, Steering Committee Member

Dr. Shah completed his BS in Biology and MBA at Loyola University Chicago, followed by his MD at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine. He finished a Transitional Internship and Radiation Oncology Residency, becoming Chief Resident in 2014. He has published research, authored a phase I protocol, and serves on the Health Policy Council of the American Society for Radiation Oncology. As Clinical Assistant Professor at Rosalind Franklin University and a radiation oncologist at City of Hope-Chicago, Dr. Shah is skilled in various radiation therapy techniques and is committed to clinical research, innovative treatments, and patient-centered cancer care.

Sanford Meeks, PhD

Member of Steering Committee

Dr. Meeks earned his PhD in Medical Physics from the University of Florida and was certified by the ABR in 1997. He held faculty positions at the University of Florida and the University of Iowa before becoming the Director of Radiation Oncology at Orlando Health in 2004. Dr. Meeks has a strong research background in stereotactic radiosurgery, stereotactic body radiotherapy, and image-guided radiotherapy, with over 130 publications and 20 book chapters. He initiated an accredited medical physics residency program and has received numerous accolades, including being elected as a Fellow of the AAPM and receiving the ABR Lifetime Service Award. Dr. Meeks has served on the AAPM's Board of Directors and held editorial positions in medical journals.

Yuri Ellis, MS, DABR

Associate Program Director

Yuri Ellis holds a BS from Loyola University Chicago and MS degrees in medical radiation physics and medical imaging sciences. Board certified by the American Board of Radiology, he began his career with US Oncology in 2000. In 2002, he joined Advanced Therapy Consulting, later working with Global Physics Solutions and Landauer Medical Physics, supporting the clinical program at City of Hope. Currently, he serves as Director for Physics/Dosimetry at Varian AOS, managing all City of Hope operations.

AJ Carper, MS, DABR

Associate Program Director

AJ Carper is a clinical medical physicist who attended Purdue University for both undergraduate and graduate studies, completing an MS in medical physics in 2007. He completed his ABR board certification exams in 2011 and, most recently, has served as Associate Site Director for the Landauer residency program at City of Hope-Chicago.

Olivier Gayou, PhD, DABR

Commissioning Track Leader

AOS Senior Director of Physics Commissioning, Dr. Gayou, brings nearly 20 years of experience to Varian, with interests in process improvement and software development. Prior to joining Varian, he held leadership positions at the John D. Cronin Cancer Center and Allegheny General Hospital. Dr. Gayou has published over 40 research papers and contributed to several books on radiation oncology. ABR board certified in therapeutic medical physics, he is an active AAPM member, holds a PhD in experimental nuclear physics, and trained as a postdoctoral researcher in medical physics at Allegheny General Hospital.

Mattie Loucks, MS, DABR

Associate Program Director

Mattie Loucks is a medical physicist in radiation oncology. She obtained her BS from Texas A&M University and MS in Medical Physics from MD Anderson UTHealth Houston. She completed a therapy medical physics residency with Landauer Medical Physics in Charlotte, NC. Currently, she serves as a Senior Medical Physicist with Advanced Oncology Solutions (AOS) at Memorial Hermann Hospital System in Houston, TX and as the Associate Program Director in Houston, TX for the Varian Therapeutic Medical Physics Residency Program.

Matt West, PhD, DABR

Associate Program Director

Dr. West is an esteemed medical physicist holding a prominent position at Varian Medical Systems. In this pivotal role, Dr. West excels in coordinating and managing all facets of clinical medical physics, encompassing clinical coverage, quality assurance, management, and residency program oversight. Boasting board certification from the American Board of Radiology, Dr. West earned his master's and doctorate degrees from the University of Missouri, amassing 23 years of comprehensive experience in medical physics, chief/senior physicist roles, radiation safety officer positions, medical industry, and instructional capacities. His extensive experience with business development involved site evaluations, shielding calculations, equipment selection, and clinic/department start-ups. Dr. West brings over a decade of teaching experience, instructing at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences and community colleges in traditional physics and radiation therapy physics. Dr. West's current pursuits focus on enhancing efficiency in radiation oncology departments, maximizing tool and product utilization, and standardization while upholding safety standards. With over 20 years of unique experience in radiation oncology and medical physics, Dr. West stands well-equipped to navigate and excel in any professional scenario.

Amy Ettling, MS, DABR

Associate Program Director

Amy Ettling obtained her BS from University of Wisconsin - Parkside and graduated with an MS in Medical Physics from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. She has worked as a clinical medical physicist at Missouri Baptist Medical Center in St. Louis, MO since 2009. She is currently an Associate Program Director for the Varian medical physics residency program. Some of her clinical specialties include HDR and Radiopharmaceuticals.

Philip Bardos, MS, DABR

Associate Program Director

Philip Bardos is a Chief Physicist and Associate Program Director who obtained his BS in Nuclear Engineering from Purdue University in 2013 followed by his MS in Medical Physics from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2017. He completed his Therapy Physics Residency in 2019 and obtained his ABR board certification in Therapeutic Medical Physics in 2021.

Rachel McCarroll, PhD, DABR

Associate Program Director

Dr. McCarroll is board certified radiation therapy medical physicist. She obtained her BS in Physics from Truman State University and her PhD from The University of Texas MD Anderson Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences after which she completed a CAMPEP residency at The University of Maryland Medical Center. Rachel’s interests include providing excellent clinical physics support, expanding access to radiation therapy around the world, and educating students and residents in radiation therapy physics.

Kayla Brown, MS, CMD

Dosimetry Track Leader, Member of Steering Committee

Kayla Brown is the Quality Improvement (QI) Manager and a Senior Medical Dosimetrist for Varian. She has spent the last 8 years working in fast-paced environments utilizing multiple planning systems to produce the highest standard of care for patients. As the QI manager, she is dedicated to ensuring continued quality improvement and providing education for dosimetrists throughout the enterprise. Ms. Brown completed her undergraduate degree in biology at Valdosta State University in 2011, and then earned a master’s degree in medical dosimetry at John Patrick University in 2014. She obtained MDCB board certification in 2016.

Jeffrey Maserang, MS, CMD

Dosimetry Track Leader, Member of Steering Committee

Jeffrey Maserang has over 20 years' experience in Radiation Oncology. He obtained his bachelor's in 2003 at Barnes Jewish Hospital College in Radiation Therapy and his master's in 2007. He obtained his master's in medical Dosimetry from Southern Illinois University in 2011. He is currently working as a medical dosimetrist with Varian Advanced Oncology Solutions.