Medical Physics Residency Program Preps Future Generation of Experts

In the fight against cancer, medical physicists operate at the cutting edge of treatment, wielding advanced technology and precise calculations at the critical intersection where a fraction of a millimeter can mean the difference between destroying cancer cells and preserving vital organs.

At Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute, a team of 26 medical physicists partner with radiation oncologists to craft individualized treatment strategies that push the boundaries of what’s possible in radiation therapy. Beyond their clinical impact, they are shaping the next generation through the Institute’s growing Medical Physics Residency Program, where comprehensive training is provided to those who wish to pursue a clinical career in radiation oncology.

“I remember watching a physicist work with cancer patients in a small clinic back home,” says Janos Juhasz, Ph.D., who was born and raised in Romania and is the director of the residency program at Miami Cancer Institute. “It was the first time I saw how physics could directly impact someone’s health and hope. That moment stayed with me.”

Dr. Juhasz had already completed a bachelor’s degree in physics and a master’s in biophysics and medical physics when that moment, during a radiation therapy physics course, changed his life. He moved to Canada and went on to receive a Ph.D. in biophysics and enrolled in a medical physics residency program.

Eventually, he served as an assistant professor, mentoring students and conducting clinical work. “I had a deep desire to combine scientific precision with human impact, and that is what led me to Miami Cancer Institute,” says Dr. Juhasz, who is also an assistant professor at Florida International University (FIU).

A Bridge from the Classroom to the Clinic

Residents in the program at the Institute work with state-of-the-art technology and gain experience in dosimetry, treatment planning, brachytherapy, radiation safety, multi-modality imaging, radiographic and MR image guidance, particle therapy, radiopharmaceuticals and quality assurance. Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Educational Programs (CAMPEP), the program partners with FIU for academic collaboration and talent development.

“I see education not just as knowledge transfer, but as transformation,” Dr. Juhasz says. “Residents come in with a strong academic foundation, but it’s here, in the clinic, where they become multifaceted medical professionals. I want them to feel confident, capable and inspired.”

According to Dr. Juhasz, many medical physics residency programs don’t offer the wide variety of technology available at the Institute. “Nor do they have internationally recognized physicists and physicians highly skilled in their specialized clinical techniques, such as stereotactic radiotherapy, proton therapy and adaptive radiotherapy. We offer a unique opportunity to transition from academic learning to hands-on clinical practice in one of the most advanced cancer centers in the region.”

The specialized training places an ultimate goal at its center: the best possible outcomes for patients.

Janos Juhasz, Ph.D., medical physicist and director of the residency program at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute

How To Apply to the Medical Physics Residency Program

Applicants must have an M.S. or Ph.D. Two residents are accepted to the two-year program each year. The program prepares residents for board certification through the American Board of Radiology. For more information, go tohttps://baptisthealth.net/academics/residencies-and-fellowships/medical-residencies-and-fellowships/medical-physics/medical-physics-residency.