Board Preparation

Every resident in our training program practices a series of “mock” oral examinations as part of their training. After graduation, residents are invited back to the University of Maryland for a dedicated internal mock orals review with faculty disease site experts prior to taking their oral board exam.

In addition, the University of Maryland Department of Radiation Oncology sponsors a national Physics and Radiobiology Review Course every year. The course is designed for residents preparing for their board exams as well as radiation oncology physicians preparing for their re-certification exams.

Residents also have the opportunity to participate in the didactic lecture portion of the University of Maryland Department of Radiation Oncology national Mock Orals Course. This course simulates a radiation oncology oral board examination with internal and external disease-site experts reviewing high yield cases and providing practical tips. 

Each year, residents are invited to the Radiation Oncology Symposium - Best of course. This is a CME accredited course that provides the attendees with the new changes in technology and treatment modalities that have occurred in the past year. This includes the latest developments in treating the following cancers: genitourinary, head & neck, central nervous system/pediatrics, gynecologic, gastrointestinal, breast, thoracic/SBRT and lymphoma. Residents are given access to the didactics from each of these national courses.

Third- and fourth-year residents are given the opportunity to attend the ASTRO Annual Refresher Course, and attendance is sponsored and supported by the department. 

From September through May, all residents are granted protected time to attend the dedicated physics lecture series and the radiation and cancer biology lecture series conducted by our own internal faculty experts as well as faculty from other institutions in preparation for their boards. To view sample schedules, please click below.

Sample Physics Lecture Schedule

Sample Radiobiology Lecture Schedule

Annual In-Training Examination

The American College of Radiology administers an in-training examination to residents in Radiation Oncology annually. We require all residents to take this examination. 

The main purpose of this examination is to help gauge residents’ abilities to study systematically and consistently. These skills are important not only for passing certification boards on the first try, but also for continued expansion of knowledge throughout their careers and for recertification years later.

The global results of the examination will also be used to gauge the effectiveness of the training program. Areas of consistent deficiency will be addressed by the Education Committee, resulting in improved teaching at multiple levels, including, but not limited to, new or improved didactic lectures, new conference formats, new distribution of cases, or other modifications, as appropriate.

The in-training examination is not used as a sole measure of a resident’s success. We do expect our residents to perform above the national average, however, scores are always considered in context with many other measures of residence performance. In-training examination scores will never be the sole factor for failing to promote a resident to the next level of training or for expulsion from the program.