Three days of live virtual physics and radiobiology talks
2025 Dates TBA
About the Course
The University of Maryland Department of Radiation Oncology is pleased to announce the Annual Virtual Dr. Karl Prado Physics & Radiobiology Review Course. Speakers will conduct live, virtual talks for three full days, allowing for question and answer time at the end of each talk. The recorded lectures will be shared with attendees following the event.
The purpose of this course is to provide a comprehensive review of physics and radiobiology for senior radiation oncology residents who are taking the board exam for the first time and radiation oncologists already in practice who are preparing for their re-certification exams. Medical physicists, dosimetrists and veterinarians will also benefit and are encouraged to attend. The instructors for this course include a combination of invited nationally recognized faculty and our own top-ranked faculty in the department's clinical, physics and radiobiology divisions.
This premier review course will provide participants with an overview of current concepts in radiation biology, physics, and dosimetry, and will be conducted in an interactive workshop format with lectures and question and answer sessions. This course is designed to provide materials, live lectures and robust information which help radiation oncology trainees study for their exams, in addition to their other exam preparation efforts.
During the radiobiology portion, participants will receive an overview of current concepts in radiation biology, be provided an update of changes that may impact radiation therapy, gain an understanding of molecular biology principles and techniques, and learn about new radiation modalities being utilized or in development.
The physics segment of the program is intended to provide a comprehensive review of physics and dosimetry topics related to radiation oncology.
Physics & Radiobiology Review Course Agenda 2024
Registration - check back for dates
The cost of the 2024 virtual course is TBD. We are also offering the opportunity to take only one portion of the course (either Physics or Radiobiology) for TBD. The registration fee is payable by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover), and advanced registration is required. Access to online materials (slides and videos) will be available until August 1.
University of Maryland faculty, staff and residents, please contact the course coordinator Jessica White at jessica.white@umm.edu or 410-328-7618 to register.
Refund Policy
Once a registration is submitted, you will have 24 hours to submit a request for refund. After that time, no refund will be provided for any reason; however, the registrant will have access to all course content, including recorded meetings of the lectures.
Event Support - 2024
The University of Maryland Department of Radiation Oncology gratefully acknowledges the following sponsors for their generous support.
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity participants should be able to describe and discuss:
- Current molecular and cellular biology and its impact on modern radiobiology
- Biological basis of current and upcoming treatment modalities
- Physical principles of radiation therapy, including planning and setup for external beam therapy, brachytherapy, and stereotactic radiosurgery
- Imaging application to radiation therapy, such as in treatment simulation and target definitions
- Methods of measurement of radiation quantity and quality, and the system of dose calculation
- Principles of radiation safety and radiation protection
Target Audience
The target audience includes radiation oncology medical residents, medical physics residents, radiation oncologists, medical physicists, dosimetrists, and veterinarians preparing for their board exam or certification.
Course Directors
Physics Director
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Amit Sawant, PhD
Professor of Radiation Oncology
Vice Chair for Medical Physics
Department of Radiation Oncology
University of Maryland School of Medicine
...research interests focus on developing and translating novel forms of image-guidance in radiation therapy, specifically in the area of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SAbR), also known as SBRT. Dr. Sawant's overall goal of research is to fundamentally improve the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer through pre-clinical and clinical investigations and translation of novel forms of cancer imaging, radiobiologic agents and precision radiotherapy.
Radiobiology Director
France Carrier, PhD
Professor of Radiation Oncology
Director of Tumor Biology
Division of Translational Radiation Sciences (DTRS)
Department of Radiation Oncology
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Co-Leader of the Program of Molecular and Structural Biology
Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC)
...an internationally renowned basic and translational cancer researcher, with specific training and expertise in genotoxic stress response and cancer progression. Dr. Carrier's research has continually been supported by different agencies including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the VA. Her translational cancer research includes her pioneered work on demonstrating the efficiency of a new class of anticancer drugs, histone deacetylase inhibitors, in combination with conventional anticancer drugs.
Virtual Format Disclaimer
The University of Maryland Department of Radiation Oncology will make every effort to ensure that live, high-quality virtual materials are available during the course. However, a virtual format can present unpredictable challenges due to on-site technology issues, or the internet/ bandwidth of the individual attendees. It is strongly encouraged that virtual participants attend the live portion of this course using the most reliable hard-wired internet connection available to them.
Presentations and online materials are subject to change up until the day of the event. Please be advised that if you are printing out or saving documents prior to the course, some content may change. All presentations and course materials are considered proprietary and are strictly for the sole use of the registered attendee. Any unauthorized use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited.
Contact Us
Should you have any questions concerning the course, please contact the course coordinator Jessica White (she/her) at 410-328-7618 or jessica.white@umm.edu.
Honoring one of our most memorable faculty teachers
Dr. Karl L. Prado served as a faculty member and invaluable medical physics educator to trainees and staff from 2009 to 2017 at the University of Maryland Department of Radiation Oncology. He dedicated himself to clinical program development and the advancement of new technologies and safety protocols in radiation oncology, so that every treatment could be tailored to the specific needs of each patient.
Dr. Prado was a long-time speaker at the course up until his retirement in 2018. In 2019, the Physics and Radiobiology Review Course was renamed to honor the memory and unmatched teaching abilities of Dr. Karl L. Prado.
The Dr. Karl Prado Endowment for Radiation Oncology Trainees was also named for Dr. Prado to honor his remarkable influence. This fund advances education and training in radiation oncology for talented and compassionate healers and innovators who will aggressively pursue dramatic advances in radiation therapy. The Dr. Prado endowment helps support our educational mission by funding trainees, medical and physics residents, fellows, radiation therapists, dosimetrists, nurses, and medical students for conference attendance, publication fees, educational activities, wellness, and supports department educational courses.
We save lives through our work. Support of the Dr. Karl L. Prado Endowment for Radiation Oncology captures your dedication to all facets of training and continuing education to help others.
Give to the Dr. Karl L. Prado Endowment for Radiation Oncology Trainees