This position is posted on the Veterinary Internship & Residency Matching Program at: http://www.virmp.org. This position is not posted every year.
The Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery at the University of Missouri – Columbia is seeking candidates for a two-year residency program in Veterinary Radiation Oncology which will qualify the resident to sit for the certifying examination in radiation oncology administered by the American College of Veterinary Radiology Affiliate in Radiation Oncology. This is to be a two-year program which provides instruction and experience in basic principals of radiation therapy, principals of radiation and tumor biology, patient assessment, dose prescription, planning, administration and follow-up radiation therapy of malignant diseases in domestic animals. The great majority of the patients will be dogs and cats but occasional treatment of other species is expected as well.
The Department maintains an active oncology referral practice consisting of medical, surgical and radiotherapy treatment of malignant diseases. We have and active referral practice and serve as one of the principal tertiary cancer treatment centers for animals in the Midwest. More than 800 cases are seen annually through the oncology service resulting in approximately 125-150 radiation therapy patients annually.
Located within The Veterinary Health Center in Columbia Missouri, and at Mizzou Animal Cancer Care in Wentzville Missouri, the Radiation Oncology facilities include dual energy linear accelerator for administration of treatments at both facilities. These machines also provides, in addition to the 6 and 15MV photon beams, six electron treatment beam energies between 6 and 20 MeV. Treatment planning is done by manual calculation in a minority of cases with most treatment plans developed on a state of the art 3-D treatment planning system which is networked with the radiology section’s spiral multi slice CT imagers. The section also maintains an active practice in therapeutic nuclear medicine and nuclear oncology which receives referrals from nation-wide and maintains facilities for administration of brachytherapy.
Radiation oncology is part of the section of radiology of the Veterinary Health Center. The radiology section consists of six ACVR diplomate positions, five positions for imaging diplomats, and one with diplomas in both imaging and radiation oncology. There is also a faculty rank molecular biologist specializing in radiopharmaceutical development within the radiology section. Faculty members also maintain adjunct appointments in other institute programs on the campus. There are two diagnostic imaging resident positions as well as the residency position in radiation oncology. For the right individual opportunities may exist on the campus for pursuit of a Master’s of Science degree or Doctor of Philosophy degree in radiation sciences in conjunction with the residency program but these programs would lengthen the commitment to 4 or more years. Radiation therapy treatments are administered by radiation oncology technologists under the supervision of the radiation oncologist or resident.
The radiation oncology service sees a wide variety of cases and enjoys an active but manageable caseload. Daily informal and weekly formal interaction with these other services occurs. Cases are presented to the radiation oncology service from the medical oncology, neurology, surgery, general medicine and occasionally the equine medical services. The Medical Oncology service currently has four ACVIM – Oncology Diplomates and three residents. This service maintains an active basic research and clinical trials program.
Prior to successful completion of the program the resident is expected to complete one prospective and one retrospective research study and prepare a manuscript suitable for publication in a refereed journal. Residents are required to present one seminar per year to the college faculty and staff as part of the Intern-Resident seminar series. I t should be noted that enrollment for credit in several University courses may be required as part of the residency program and that part of the costs associated with these courses will have to be borne by the resident.
Three letters of recommendation are required, at least one of which must be an ACVR Diplomate.
For further information please contact Dr. Jim Lattimer at (573) 882-7821 or e-mail at lattimerj@missouri.edu.
*University Benefits are included with salary; Educational Assistance for graduate students is available; Missouri licensure fees paid; 10 days’ paid vacation/yr. and $1,250 annual professional development account assuming continual financial health of the VHC.
The University of Missouri is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and members of underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. To request ADA accommodations, please contact our ADA Coordinator at (573) 884-7278 or http://ada.missouri.edu/.