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Medical Physics Residency Program

The objective of the Medical Physics Residency Program is to train medical physicists to perform duties competently, professionally and safely in a clinical oncology environment, and to help meet future staffing needs in medical physics departments at cancer centres across Ontario.

Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term-Care (MOHLTC) support a number of post-graduate positions in clinical physics aimed at providing a solid foundation in specialized medical physics applied to the field of radiation oncology through the Medical Physics Residency Program. The program exists at cancer centres across the province that are all accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP), a non-profit organization whose activities include independent review of the quality of educational programs in medical physics.

Download the latest Medical Physics Residency Program Centre CAMPEP Statistics.

Duration and Stipend

Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) provides funding for residents participating in the 2 years (24 month) program. Resident salaries are made up of 2 components: 

  • A minimum base salary of $54,000 per year provided by Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario)
  • Centre-specific adjustments for local cost of living and training needs such as supplies or travel

Location

Residencies are offered at Regional Cancer Centres in Hamilton, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Mississauga, Newmarket, Oshawa, Ottawa, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Toronto and Windsor. Availability of these positions at specific locations will vary from year to year, and are subject to annual budget approvals by Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario), the ministry, and local cancer centres. The Regional Cancer Centres are the employer of the residents during the program and lead the application and hiring process. 

Final Evaluation

Residents are required to maintain appropriate performance throughout their program. They are expected to report regularly on their progress, and centres will evaluate performance through documented procedures. These procedures may vary from centre to centre (e.g., use of CAMPEP standards). All centres require candidates to defend acquired clinical skills at a final oral examination before a panel of certified medical physicists at the end of their program. 

Upon completion of the residency, successful candidates become eligible for employment in Ontario cancer centres but are not guaranteed a position. The Ontario training program is well-recognized and serves as excellent preparation towards subsequent national certification by the Canadian College of Medical Physicists (CCPM), normally after an additional period of clinical practice in a hospital setting. 

Residencies are open to post-graduate students in physics or a closely related discipline in a recognized university graduate program (preferably PhD in medical physics or medical biophysics from a CAMPEP-accredited university program). Admission is granted on the basis of academic achievement and the potential for a professional career as a medical physicist in Ontario. Residency programs have CAMPEP accreditation and may have additional local requirements, as specified on their individual training program websites.

Out-of-Province Canadian Applicants

The Medical Physics Residency Program provides financial support for permanent Canadian residents. Preference is given to Ontario applicants. If there is no Ontario applicant or none are deemed competitive during a recruitment cycle, centres will recruit from other Canadian provinces and territories. These exceptional candidates are eligible for funding through the Ontario Medical Physics Residency Program.

International Applicants (Non-Permanent Canadian Residents)

The Medical Physics Residency Program does not provide any financial support for international applicants. The Program does provide financial support for permanent Canadian residents with preference for Ontario applicants. 

However, international applicants are encouraged to contact Program Directors at the Regional Cancer Centres directly to inquire about residency training opportunities funded by local cancer centres. The recruitment and hiring process is the responsibility of the local centres. Individual training centres are responsible for ensuring that appropriate Canadian immigration policies are satisfied in accepting international applicants. Centres accepting applicants with such external funding should ensure that the Centre has capacity for such training, without restricting the admission of Canadian applicants or impacting the quality of training for all residents in the program (i.e. overcapacity).

In summary, Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) assumes no funding responsibility or liability for any international resident accepted for training by an individual regional cancer centre.

Applicants should submit the following documentation to the Medical Physics Residency Program directors at the locations of interest (contact information below):

  • Cover letter highlighting the following:
    • Academic background
    • Relevant work experience
    • Publication record
    • Clinical and research interests
    • Future career goals
  • Up-to-date résumé (CV) including a list of publications
  • Official university transcripts
  • List of references (who may be contacted) 

Some centres have set dates for recruitment. To ensure compliance with site-specific deadlines, individuals should review program websites regularly or contact the relevant site’s Medical Physics Residency Program directors for more information.

For more information on application deadlines for Toronto-area cancer centres, refer to the University of Toronto Department of Radiation Oncology website.

For general information and submission of an Ontario-wide application, please contact the Provincial Program Director.

Regional Program Directors

Note: CAMPEP-accredited centres are designated with (*); centres in the process of gaining CAMPEP accreditation are designated with (*pending):

  • Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario (*)
    Dr. Andrew Kerr 25 King Street West
    Kingston, Ontario, K7L 5P9
    613-544-2631 ext. 6832
    Andrew.Kerr@kingstonhsc.ca 
  • Carlo Fidani Peel Regional Cancer Centre (*)
    Dr. Raxa Sankreacha 2200 Eglinton Avenue W. 
    Mississauga, Ontario, L5M 2N1 
    905-813-1100 ext. 5075
    raxa.sankreacha@trilliumhealthpartners.ca
  • Grand River Regional Cancer Centre (*)
    Dr. Ernest K. Osei 835 King Street West
    Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 1G3
    519-749-4300 ext. 5407 
    ernestkwaku.osei@grhosp.on.ca
  • Juravinski Cancer Centre (*)
    Dr. Rob Hunter
    699 Concession Street
    Hamilton, Ontario, L8V 5C2
    905-387-9711 ext. 67144 
    rhunter@hhsc.ca
  • London Regional Cancer Program (*)
    Dr. Scott Karnas 790 Commissioners Rd. East
    London, Ontario, N6A 4L6
    519-685-8500 ext. 54050
    scott.karnas@lhsc.on.ca
  • Northern Ontario School of Medicine (*)
    • Dr. Peter McGhee
      Program Director
      Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre
      980 Oliver Road 
      Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7B 6V4 
      7807-684-7200 
      pmcghee@nosm.ca
    • Dr. Michael Oliver
      Associate Program Director
      Health Sciences North
      41 Ramsey Lake Road
      Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 5J1 
      705-522-6237 ext. 2269 
      mioliver@nosm.ca
  • Odette Cancer Centre (*)
    Dr. Brian Keller
    2075 Bayview Avenue 
    Toronto, Ontario, M4N 3M5
    416-480-6100 ext. 1091
    Brian.Keller@sunnybrook.ca
  • Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (*)
    Dr. Patricia Lindsay
    610 University Avenue 
    Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9 
    416-946-4501 ext. 5231
    patricia.lindsay@rmp.uhn.ca
  • R.S. McLaughlin Durham Regional Cancer Centre (*)
    Dr. Katharina Sixel
    1 Hospital Court 
    Oshawa, Ontario, L1G 3B9 
    905-576-8711 ext. 5441
    ksixel@lakeridgehealth.on.ca
  • Stronach Regional Cancer Centre (*)
    Dr. Ivan Yeung
    596 Davis Drive
    Newmarket, Ontario, L3Y 2P9 
    905-895-4521 ext. 6359
    iyeung@southlakeregional.org
  • The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre (*)
    Dr. Miller MacPherson
    501 Smyth Road, Box #927 
    Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8L6 
    613-737-7700 ext. 70011
    mmacpherson@toh.on.ca
  • Windsor Regional Cancer Centre (*)
    Luc Serre
    2220 Kildare Road 
    Windsor, Ontario, N8W 2X3 
    519-254-5577 ext. 58501 
    luc.serre@wrh.on.ca

For more information about the Medical Physics Residency Program contact the Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) Radiation Treatment Program.