THE PENN RADIATION ONCOLOGY SPOTLIGHT
November 2024
Happy Holidays to the Penn Medicine Radiation Oncology Team!! I hope that you all have a wonderful holiday season! It has been a busy time this Fall in the department with lots going on in every corner of our facilities. Conferences and educational events with the academic year in full swing as you can see in all the enclosed photos. It is great to see representation across the department in the newsletter and I appreciate all your engagement. We were able to present our strategic plan and vision to the department this Fall and thank you for all you are doing to help us accomplish our goals. We have lots of exciting initiatives coming in the next few years. I hope to see you are our upcoming Holiday event at Reading Terminal Market!
ASTRO
Penn Radiation Oncology faculty, staff, alumni, and special guests gathered at Atlas Brew Works in Washington, DC for a reception during this year's ASTRO Conference.
Penn Medicine | Virtua Voorhees Proton Center Celebrates 1 Year Anniversary
The Penn Medicine | Virtua Voorhees Proton Center celebrated its first anniversary in September with a reception that included patients who were among the first 150 people treated at the center.
IBA Visit
Leadership teams from IBA and Penn Medicine came together at IBA headquarters in Belgium last week to discuss and plan for their continued partnership. The Roberts Proton Therapy Center will celebrate its 15 year anniversary this January. Plans for expansion and growth into new directions including the opening of a new proton center, located at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, in 2027 and continued collaboration to move the field of proton therapy forward through education, research and new treatment modalities. Participants from both IBA and Penn Medicine left the meeting with an exciting map for the future that will continue to transform the lives of cancer patients around the world.
Featured in the Media
RadOnc in the PM Report
The Patient Engagement Team partnered with Penn undergrad students to create two virtual reality videos to help ease new patients' anxiety about radiation therapy.
Peg Rummel, MHA, RN and Jen Jacobs, MPH, BSN were highlight for their work helping cancer patients get the dental care they need.
Lunch with Leaders: Celebrating PMX: Serving RadOnc Patients featuring Jim Metz, MD, Ben Goldsmith, MD, and Fabian Marechal, MS.
Christina Bach, MSW, MBE was highlighted for her work with the Philadelphia Multiple Myeloma Networking Group and receiving the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Hematology-Oncology
Abramson Cancer Center Bulletin
Crystal Conn, PhD was awarded the Michael P. Nusbaum Graduate Student Mentoring Award. The Nusbaum Award was established in 2017 to honor Mikey Nusbaum as he stepped down from his role of BGS Director. Mentors embody the skills, experience, and wisdom essential to success in science; they serve as models for how one conducts his or her life in balance with a demanding career; and certain faculty – such as Mikey – play pivotal roles in guiding students in reaching their scholarly potential. All BGS faculty are eligible for this award, which recognizes excellence in graduate (PhD) mentoring.
Dr. Crystal Conn has made substantial contributions to mentoring that have made a great impact on their students since they have been at Penn. Dr. Conn’s dedication to being a role model for training advocacy, inclusivity, and mentoring students to reach their scholarly potential exemplifies the type of scientist and mentor that Mikey Nusbaum represents.
CPUP Updates
Congratulations to Kate Gray, MSN, RN and her team for earning Honorable Mention at the FY24 CPUP Quality and Patient Safety Awards! Their project was called "Spacer Fiducial Supply Ordering Process Improvement."
Congratulations to Kerri Celaya, MA, FACHE and her team for earning Honorable Mention at the Penn Medicine Princeton Health Quality and Safety Awards! Their project was "Reducing Lead Time for Pre-Radiation Treatment Radiology Appointments."
Both Kate Gray and Kerry Celaya recently completed their Lead Practitioner Certification, which included the improvement projects recognized at the Quality and Safety Awards.
RadComp Newsletter
Congratulations to Alexander Lin, MD, who will be part of the new RadComp Study leadership with Bonnie Ky, MD, MSCE as Justin Bekelman, MD steps down to pursue new endeavors. Hien Lu will remain the study's project manager.
Penn Medicine on Social Media
Did you know that Penn Radiation Oncology and OncoLink are on social media? Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok! Check out some of the recent posts below:
Instagram - Penn Radiation Oncology
Instagram - Penn Radiation Oncology Residency Programs
Instagram - Penn Radiation Oncology Medical Physics Graduate Program
Instagram - OncoLink
Community Engagement
We invite you to visit the site regularly, as we continue to update resources, add information on ongoing initiatives, and expand educational materials.
PennCobalt provides mental health resources for Penn staff and faculty.
Winter Donation Drive
The Holiday season is upon us and this year we here at RadOnc Community Engagement have teamed up with PCAM Employee Experience, Hematology Oncology and Penn Dermatology at Penn Medicine to give everyone an opportunity to make someone’s holiday a little brighter!
Please consider donating here for our Winter Donation Drive! Your purchase will go directly to young adults, adolescents and children experiencing homelessness in West Philadelphia. The list can be sorted by price or priority and is for holiday and daily necessity items. Brighten up someone’s holiday this year! All donations benefit HopePHL.
World Mental Health Day Quiz Results
Have You Recognized Someone Today?
DON'T FORGET: You can recognize a colleague at any time by submitting the recognition form found at https://redcap.med.upenn.edu/surveys/?s=HPKUea (direct link is below). Bookmark this web page for easy access in the future!
If you would like a copy of the flyer with QR code for your work area, please email RadOnc_ACES@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
Meet the Newest Members of Our Team!
Maura Kirk
Maura joins the department as a Medical Physicist. Previously, Maura worked at Jefferson Health Asplundh Cancer Center as the Enterprise Treatment Planning Lead, Medical Physicist. She earned her Masters in Medical Physics from the University of Pennsylvania and in her spare time, she enjoys running, negotiating with toddlers, and playing soccer with her boys. You can contact Maura at maura.kirk@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
Brian To
Brian joins our department as a Medical Dosimetrist. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences from Jefferson University. In his spare time, Brian enjoys traveling and trying new restaurants. You can reach Brian at Brian.To@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
Appointments
Eva Berlin, MD
Eva Berlin, MD joins the Penn Presbyterian Medical Center (PPMC) and PCAM teams as an Assistant Professor. Eva is a graduate of Brandeis University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in both Global Studies and French. Following her undergraduate studies, Eva earned her medical degree with a Distinction in Research in 2019 from the Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She continued her training in Internal Medicine at HUP, and recently graduated from Penn’s Radiation Oncology Residency Program.
Eva will be splitting her time between the PPMC and PCAM; in her role, she will join the Breast and Gynecologic Cancer disease site team at PCAM, treating patients with breast and gynecologic cancers. At PPMC, Eva will help establish and grow the breast cancer service. Academically, Eva will be directly involved in the teaching, training, and mentoring our Radiation Oncology residents rotating at both PPMC and PCAM; she will also support and expand the current research efforts of the Department of Radiation Oncology.
Anish Butala, MD
Anish Butala, MD will assume the role of Associate Chief of Clinical Operations for PCAM. Known to many of you, Anish joined our faculty in 2021 after graduating from our residency program and since has excelled in managing our palliative and spine programs at PCAM.
In this position, Dr. Butala will work closely with Michelle Alonso-Basanta, MD, PhD, Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs, and will be involved in overseeing daily clinical operations at PCAM. He will also collaborate with various teams in our department, UPHS, and the Cancer Center to ensure smooth operations and growth. As Associate Chief, Anish will also conduct regular policy reviews, oversee operations projects, manage improvement processes, and maintain an effective and efficient system for training faculty and staff in clinical procedures and policies. Since joining the department. Anish has demonstrated his commitment and leadership to our mission, and our patients!
Dimitris Mihailidis, PhD
Dimitris Mihailidis, PhD, Associate Professor, will be assuming a new role as the Program Director for the Medical Physics Graduate Program (MPGP). This transition stems from the upcoming departure of Dr. Shannon O'Reilly, who has exceptionally led the program since 2021. Concurrently, Austin Kassaee, MS, will continue in his role as Associate Director.
Under Shannon’s tenure, the MPGP program has strengthened its national and international reputation, increased applications and enrollment, and expanded financial support for our scholars. Her initiative to establish an international education program in Ghana, in collaboration with Dr. Stephen Avery, has been a pivotal achievement. Furthermore, her dedicated leadership successfully guided our MPGP community through unique post-pandemic challenges, reinforcing the bond between students and faculty. Over the next month, Shannon will ensure a smooth transition as she hands over the reins to Dimitris. As this change transpires, Austin’s vital leadership role will be more distinctly defined.
Dimitris has been an integral part of Penn faculty since 2016, and a highly respected member of the radiation oncology and medical physics community. In recognition of his excellence and contributions in the field of Radiation Therapy Physics, he was recently honored as an ASTRO Fellow (FASTRO). He also has been serving as an ABR oral examiner for Therapeutic Medical Physics for several years. Dimitris has consistently demonstrated a genuine interest in the MPGP program through his long history of active involvement, including as a member of the Faculty Advisory Committee, Chair of the Curriculum Committee and teaching faculty of several of our program courses (MPHY6040, MPHY6050, MPHY6080, MPHY7000). Dimitris’ experience, commitment, and leadership will be invaluable in directing the MPGP program's future trajectory.
In his new role, Dimitris will have oversight of compliance with regulatory standards, ensure the program's reputation exceeds CAMPEP requirements, cultivate recruitment initiatives, and persist with our mission to enhance the MPGP curriculum. Austin will manage and execute on accreditation efforts and provide leadership for all student initiatives, including recruitment, admissions, mentoring, and alumni affairs. Both will play crucial roles in supporting the growth and sustainability of the MPGP into the future.
Please join us in expressing our collective congratulations to Dimitris as he steps into his new role, and in extending our gratitude to Austin for his dedication and leadership during this transition and beyond.
Conferences and Speakers
ASTRO, SROA, & ASRT - Washington, DC
September 29 - October 2, 2024
Faculty and staff in the department presented at this year's ASTRO, SROA, and ASRT conferences in Washington, DC, and PRMI & our Education Programs shared a booth in the exhibit hall.
Penn State undergraduate Melinda (Dong) Jin had the opportunity to present at ASTRO as a mentee of John Plastaras, MD, PhD and Michelle Iocolano, MD. The title of the presentation was "Implementation of a Radiation Oncology Protocol Committee for Clinical Trial Review and Prioritization".
International Conference on Tumor Microenvironment and Cellular Stress
October 28- November 2, 2024
Costas Koumenis, PhD was one of the lead organizers for the International Conference on Tumor Microenvironment and Cellular Stress in Paphos, Cyprus from October 28 - November 2, 2024. Invited speakers at the conference included Edgar Ben-Josef, MD and James Metz, MD.
During a break in the conference, Costas Koumenis shared his musical talent as he plays the bouzouki, a musical instrument popular in Greece. Check out the video below!
2nd ASTRO Refresher - IX Congreso Alatro
November 6-9, 2024
Michelle Alonso-Basanta, MD, PhD gave the CNS Refresher Course in Spanish at the the 2nd ASTRO Refresher course in conjunction with the IX ALATRO (Asociacion Ibero Latinoamericana de Terapia Radiante Oncologica) Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from November 6-9, 2024.
American Medical Association Meeting
November 12, 2024
Kristina Novick, MD, MS attended the American Medical Association (AMA) Interim Meeting and serves as a delegate from the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO). At the meeting, she had the opportunity to work on a resolution about radiation safety for health care workers performing procedures that result in exposure to ionizing radiation. The original resolution called for the availability of personal protective equipment that accommodates different body types, including people of all genders and pregnant persons. However, in review of this resolution, ASCO called for a study on improving protections for health care workers performing high-risk procedures, noting that radiation safety regulations and protocols vary by specialty, procedure and geographic location. Dr. Novick testified on this issue before the House of Delegates at the AMA and was quoted by a news source for that testimony. The House agreed to ask the AMA for a study on improving radiation safety. We anticipate a report from the AMA on this within the next year.
Awards & Grants
Ioannis Verginadis, PhD was awarded the Breast Cancer Research grant from the PA Breast Cancer Coalition for the project titled "Enhancing Breast Cancer Treatment with FLASH Proton Radiotherapy"
PMX Week Awards
Anita Schoolfield was nominated by Mary Houton, and selected as a recipient of the Patient Advocacy Award for Pennsylvania Hospital. Anita has been a staple of Pennsylvania Hospital’s Radiation Oncology department team for over 20 years, and is a critical piece to the success of our team and department. Congratulations Anita, for all you do for our patients, and for being a cornerstone of our team here at PAH! We so greatly appreciate your kindness, work ethic, and focus on our patients on a day to day basis.
Mary Houton's nomination: Anita has been the face of our front desk in Radiation Oncology for the past 24 years. She has seen many changes to both the department and the hospital itself during that time, but what has remained constant is her dedication and enthusiasm for serving our patients. She greets each one with a smile and engages them in conversation over the course of their daily treatments. She goes above and beyond to help coordinate scheduling of tests and appointments ...anything she can do lessen their burden. A few months ago, when she was away from work on a personal leave, there was not a day that went by when patients weren't asking for Miss Anita. They missed her as much as we did. The lasting impression she leaves is evident as she is held in high regard by the patients and her colleagues alike. She has never failed to hold down the fort when we were short staffed. She is instrumental in onboarding new staff. She has mastered the art of staying calm and cool in a fast paced and dynamic environment, and that makes our patients feel safe which is so important. It also sets the tone for her coworkers, like myself, who sometimes need a gentle reminder that we can handle anything! She is truly deserving of this honor for her years of service.
Team Retreats & Symposiums
Inaugural Radiation Oncology Nursing Symposium
October 5, 2024
Penn Radiation Oncology’s nursing staff participated in an Inaugural Nursing Symposium on October 5, 2024. Planning for this symposium was led by the Continuing Education and Resource Team, which is comprised of five Radiation Oncology nurses. Over the course of six months, they met to review survey feedback (100% response rate) from nurses across all practice sites, to brainstorm presentation topics, and to coordinate with the presenters.
In total, 47 people participated in the event which offered eight presentation topics that included the Advanced Practice Providers, Radiation Therapists, and Nursing teams. This allowed for multidisciplinary collaboration to continue and contributed to the delivery of exceptional patient care. Guest speakers included our own Chief Operating Officer Fabian Marechal and Susan Weiss Behrend, RN, MSN. AOCN, a respected leader in the oncology nursing community. Kate Gray, Clinical Director, provided the foundation to build this symposium and always encourages collaboration and staff growth and development. Overall, the event was very well received, and plans are already underway for next year!
Congratulations to the following CERT members for their work to plan and present this successful event: Jerel Deleon, Tara Ryan, Erin Conway, Kathryn Blumenthal, and Cynthia Briola.
Special thanks to the staff that lead workstation topics during the symposium: Nichole Coleman, Emil Matchev, Colleen McGovern, Amanda Munter, Deana Potts, Lisa Wells, and Gina Wierzbowski from Nursing; Advanced Practice Providers Erin Davis and Emily Smith; and Therapy Lead Emily Gores.
RadOnc CRU Invited PI/Speaker Series
This year, the RadOnc Clinical Research Unit (CRU) launched an Invited Principal Investigator (PI)/Speaker Series in which the investigators of research studies in RadOnc present a research-related topic to the CRU. Recently, we have had the following presentations:
- Kevin Teo, PhD on “The Role of Medical Physicists” (September 11, 2024)
- Ying Xiao, PhD on “NCI’s Clinical Trial Network and Related Topics” (October 23, 2024)
Thank you to all the speakers for your time and expertise! The CRU team greatly enjoys these presentations and is looking forward to the speakers we have scheduled for the upcoming months.
Milestones
Diane Kohler, Dosimetry treatment planner at PCAM, celebrated 35 years of service with Penn Radiation Oncology on Tuesday, October 29th! The team held a special potluck to commemorate this milestone. Diane started her career as a Radiation Therapist and then transitioned to a Dosimetry Treatment Planner. Her institutional knowledge and experience with the department is incredibly valuable and we sincerely appreciate all that she has done and continues to do to serve our patients and department. Thank you Diane and congratulations on this wonderful milestone!
OncoLink in the Community
Christina Bach and Allyson Van Horn from OncoLink were invited speakers at the November Penn Medicine’s Health Talk Tuesdays at the Free Library of Philadelphia. Health Talk Tuesdays are community events providing education to Philadelphia residents on health topics and Penn Medicine services throughout the region.
Christina and Allyson provided an overview of cancer information and tools available to the public on OncoLink.org including “Reduce my Risk,” the “OncoLife Survivorship Care Plan” and OncoLink Rx for accessing cancer treatment information.
Thank you, Linda Jefferson for all of your decorations, for holiday celebrations and season changes! In this newsletter we are highlighting Linda's decorations for Halloween and Thanksgiving. Be sure to stop by and admire Linda's hard work the next time you are on the second floor of PCAM!
CRU Goes to Linvilla
October 9, 2024
RadOnc CRU team spent a fun afternoon at Linvilla Orchards, which included hay rides, apple picking, and festive fall treats!
ACES Inaugural Kickball Tournament
October 19, 2024
Radiation Oncology’s employee engagement committee ACES organized the first ever department kickball tournament on Saturday, October 19 at the softball/multipurpose field in Penn Park on the university’s campus. Five teams joined in on the fun on a beautiful fall afternoon for some team building and friendly competition. Congratulations to the inaugural winning team, BDE!
Team BDE members: Erica Bates, Brent Covele, Anthony DelTufo, Grace Hassing, Maya Korobeynik, Julie Milton, Liem Pham, Matthew Stott, Adam Strogis from RadOnc and family/friends Brandon Nayden, Chris Pontiff, Anthony Rudzinski, and Tyler Wynne.
Halloween Celebrations
Pennsylvania Hospital
PCAM
While there was no Halloween costume contest this year, PCAM (as the reigning champs from last year's competition), could not sit idly by and not celebrate the Halloween season somehow. The following pic is our "costume." We had more participants this year than any in years past. In case you would like to feature it in RadOnc Spotlight, we had a lot of fun putting it together and hope it brings some joy to others. There are too many names to list (59 total) but it was truly a team effort, being a conglomeration of therapists, nurses, doctors, dosimetrists, and social workers.
PCAM 4th Floor Halloween Decorations
Ky Lawrence always keeps the fourth floor of PCAM festively decorated, including Wei Xu’s office door! Thanks Ky for festive Halloween Spirit this fall!
National Radiation Therapist Week
November 3-9, 2024
Celebrating RTT week with breakfast for PCAM therapy team from PCAM dosimetry team!
Bourbon, Blues, and Brews
November 8, 2024
Costas Koumenis and Crys Conn gave talks at the last Bourbon, Brews, & Blues fundraising event on Friday 11/8, benefiting the SUPERS@Penn summer internship program. The evening was a smashing success with silent and live auctions, games, food, and dancing!
Save the Date - ACES Holiday Basket Raffle
The Beam of Life Team
https://www.ms-stride.org/breakthroughbikechallenge
The Breakthrough Challenge bike ride was on Sunday, September 15. The Radiation Oncology Beam of Life team is lead by co-captains Bill Barbour, Chris Laskey, and Christina McCrohan. The Breakthrough Challenge donates 100% of participant-raised funds to support breakthrough cancer research at the Abramson Cancer Center. This year $300,000 was raised, bringing the total fundraising to more than $2,850,000 over the past eleven-years.
Save the Date: Next year's Breakthrough Challenge will be on Sunday, September 14, 2025
Join the team here: https://www.ms-stride.org/breakthroughchallenge/profiles/team/91
Follow our team Facebook page or go to the ISOCENTER for more details on upcoming Beam of Life team social rides and 3rd Annual Happy Hour Fundraiser at a local Philadelphia Restaurant!
Five Questions With...
Casey Quilter-Rodgers
Patient Services Coordinator at Chester County Hospital
1. What is a typical work day like for you? It really depends on the day, but generally it consists of fielding and making a lot of phone calls, coordinating with HemOnc, Nurse Navigators, Social Workers and outside health systems to ensure continuity of care for our patients, and SIM/Consult/Follow up scheduling. One unique aspect of working at the front desk is we have the opportunity to interact with every patient and support person that walks through our doors every single day. We make a point to learn everyone’s name and try to be a constant source of positivity for them and be as understanding as we can.
2. What led you to work at Penn Radiation Oncology? Honestly, I knew about Penn Medicine and their superlative reputation but knew nothing about Radiation Oncology specifically. When I saw there was a non-clinical position open in this department, I began doing my own research and decided it was something I would like to explore. It was daunting coming onboard initially, because I did not know what to expect emotionally, but I can honestly say that not only our staff, but our patients are some of the best people that I have encountered and I admire their positive attitudes and tenacity.
3. What's your favorite movie/favorite holiday movie? All-around all-time favorite movie is Chef. Jon Favreau directed, wrote, and starred in it, and I cannot recommend this film enough. Like all things, it’s not going to be for everyone but with my culinary background, it’s one of those movies that resonates very strongly with me.
It’s hard to pick a favorite holiday movie… It’s probably a tie between The Muppet’s Christmas Carol and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
4. What is your favorite family tradition or recipe? So no specific traditions, but Aunt Elaine’s Butter Cookies are what the whole family looks forward to every holiday season. Weird place to spill a secret, but she actually gave me the recipe 10+ years ago as a Christmas gift, and neither of us have told anyone yet! Nor do we plan to.
5. Do you have any pets? If you don't, what kind of animal would you like as a pet? Yes! We have two dogs: Daisy Duke, who is our golden retriever/mastiff mix, and Jackson, who is our black lab retriever. There are plenty of pictures of them at my desk if anyone ever stops by. While that’s my reality and I have a very unhealthy attachment to them, if I could have some non-traditional pets, I’d like to have a slow loris (ignoring the venomous aspect), a fainting goat, or a red panda.
Selisa Smith
Patient Services Coordinator at PCAM
1. What is a typical work day like for you? A typical workday for me starts @ 4:15am. While I'm getting ready, I listen to my daily scriptures, watch the news, say my prayers and out the door I go. While in the car I listen to gospel music while driving on my way to the train station and while on the train as well to get my mind right for the workday. I come in and greet the patients that are there. Get my water, coffee and sometimes breakfast if I'm hungry. I clock in and now I'm ready for the workday. As a scheduler for cancer patients I schedule their treatments, change their treatment times if needed, answer phones, print their schedules, call and confirm their schedules once they have been scheduled. I check my reports and do my assigned tasks.
2. What led you to work at Penn Radiation Oncology? I applied for different positions @ Penn due to me wanting to learn something different and to grow within the company to hopefully grow into a Leadership role. I really didn't know what position this was until the Manager said it was for a scheduler @ Penn Radiation Oncology and I said "Ok I will give it a try".
3. What's your favorite movie/favorite holiday movie? I have many different favorite movies so I would say anything with Denzel Washington and Samuel L. Jackson in it, although my favorite holiday movie is "This Christmas".
4. What is your favorite family tradition or recipe? My favorite family tradition is us all getting together barbecuing, playing cards for money, drinking, laughing, talking about the good old days and enjoying each other's company and having a good time.
5. Do you have any pets? If you don't, what kind of animal would you like as a pet? I don't have any pets, but my granddaughter does and it is a brown toy poodle she named "Chocolate".
Rad Recommendations
Michele's Menu Musings by Michele Kim, PhD
Village Whiskey
In a busy corner of west Center City on 20th Street is Village Whiskey, a casual spot from Chef Jose Garces’ group where he envisioned his team and others could go for a drink and a snack after a long night in the kitchen. It’s a small space with not too many tables, which makes it a challenge when trying this walk-in only establishment. But if you find yourself in Center City at an odd or less busy time, do snag a table or bar seat for a great burger and whiskey bar. As the name suggests, they boast a selection of over 200 whiskeys, and even have something called “Neats and Eats” where one can select a whiskey flight, and the kitchen will pair it with a five-plate tasting menu.
The burgers are a main highlight of this restaurant, with it having been rated as one of the city’s top burgers. The add ons range from as simple as American cheese to as extravagant as truffled mushrooms or seared foie gras. Their sides are just as fun with duck fat fries and short rib cheddar fries on the menu. As expected, my Village burger was delicious and cooked to a perfect medium rare and a hefty portion. But my personal favorite bite at Village Whiskey is their tater tot, served with a smoked onion crème fraiche. These “tatered-in-house” tots are an incredible bite of crunchy exterior with a hot and soft inside that makes it feel like you’re biting into a potato pillow. Do not skip these potato pillows! I would go so far as to say they are probably the best tater tots in the city.
Village Whiskey is perfect for a casual dinner or drink out in the city, especially if you’re in the mood for whiskey. Remember that they do not take reservations, so you will hopefully get lucky or be fine with a bit of a wait. Fantastic burger, even better tater tots (in my opinion).
Do you have any recommendations you'd like to share with the Spotlight? Email your reviews for movies, TV shows, books, and podcasts to RadOncSpotlight@uphs.upenn.edu
On-Site Clinical Proton Education Course at Penn Medicine
Applications are now open for 2025 On-Site Clinical Proton Education Courses. Designed for Radiation Oncologists, Physicists, Treatment Planners, and Radiation Therapists
March 3 - 7, 2025 and November 3 - 7, 2025, intensive one-week educational courses at the Roberts Proton Therapy Center in Philadelphia, PA. Space is limited. Apply now at RMI.pennmedicine.org/proton-therapy-course.
Course includes: Hands-on learning opportunities, Certificate upon successful completion, Networking opportunities with peers and industry leaders
Nigeria Impact Mission Trip
In October, Surbhi Grover, MD, MPH traveled to Nigeria as the RadOnc expert for an impact mission requested by the Ministry of Health of Nigeria. Lead by the IAEA, WHO, and IAARC, the goal of the trip was to assess Nigeria’s current cancer control capacity, and provide recommendations to effectively respond to its cancer burden.
Global Education Visitors
Penn Radiation Oncology hosted 15 visitors between August 12 and October 16, 2024. This included six visitors from Oslo University Hospital in Norway; two visitors from Kazakhstan National Research Oncology Center in Astana, Kazakhstan; 4 visitors from Taichung Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan; and 3 visitors from Singapore's Ministry of Health.
From early May through the end of July, we hosted four visitors from Shenzhen Cancer Hospital in China. They took many photos with our faculty and staff who led their educational sessions and wanted to share them with us!
Medical Residency
Awards, Conferences, and Grants
Abigail Pepin, MD was accepted to present at the RSNA 2025 Clinical Trials Methodology (CTMW) Workshop. Her presentation title is "Safety of Combination of Lutetium-PSMA Radioligand Therapy with External Beam Radiotherapy and Androgen Deprivation Therapy in Men with Intact, Localized High Risk Prostate Cancer."
Mentorship Dinners
Mentor dinner at Talula's Garden, October 2024.
Medical Physics Graduate Program
Happenings
New $40,000 Scholarships for incoming MSMP Students
The Medical Physics Graduate Programs is thrilled to announce an increase in program scholarships for incoming MSMP students from two $25,000 scholarships to three $40,000 scholarships, distributed over the student’s first two semesters in the program. These new scholarships will be available to incoming students matriculating for the Fall 2025 semester.
Radiation Oncology Physics Division Networking Event
On September 12, The Medical Physics Graduate Programs hosted a Physics Division Networking Event, where faculty, staff, residents and students participated in speed-networking. Participants answered getting-to-know-you type questions to learn more about each other and enjoyed appetizers and lemonade.
Tuesday Physics Talk: Clinical Rotation in Ghana: The Student Experience
Lyna Dinh, Ayoola Okuribido and Andrew Friberg presented at the Rad Onc Tuesday Physics Talk on their experience in the Global Medical Physics Training and Development program in Ghana. Each student shared highlights about their experience and the differences between radiation oncology care in Ghana and the United States.
Thesis Proposal Presentations
On September 17 & 24, our second-year MSMP students presented their thesis project proposals to an in-person and virtual audience. Students will work on their thesis projects over the next two semesters. Students presented on their proposed research projects and answered questions from the audience.
Clinical Orientation
First-year MSMP students participated in a clinical orientation in late September. The clinic orientation included a “Roles in the Clinic” panel, where students learned from dosimetry, therapy, physicians, and physicists about the work that goes into treating a patient. Students also took a clinic tour, received an in-depth overview of CT simulation, and participated in hands-on training on PSQA. First-year students will have the opportunity to shadow PSQA in the clinic and are eligible for employment in the Spring semester.
Careers in Industry: Discussion with Varian
On September 24, students and residents met with former Penn faculty member, Taoran Li, PhD, Medical Science Liaison at Varian & and his colleagues from Varian. The panel answered questions about their career journeys from clinic to industry, current roles, and gave advice for entering the field.
Town Hall: Panel Discussion with Leadership
At our October Town Hall, students had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Jim Metz, Chair of Radiation Oncology, Dr. Neha Vapiwala, vice-chair of education and Dr. Kevin Teo, vice-chair of physics. Students asked questions focused on the future of artificial intelligence in radiation oncology, tips for residency applications and interviews, and more.
DVC-AAPM Fall Dinner
First- and second-year students joined the Delaware Valley Chapter of the AAPM on Tuesday, October 29 for their Fall dinner meeting at Estia in Philadelphia. Students had an opportunity to meet AAPM President-Elect, M. Mahesh, MS, PhD, FAAPM and other medical physicists from the Philadelphia area.
Town Hall with Gregory B. Talley, PhD
Our November Town Hall special guest was Dr. Gregory B. Talley, Program Manager in the Radiation Protection Division of the DC Department of Health. Dr. Talley presented on his path to a career in health physics and shared about the day-to-day experience of a health physicist. Dr. Talley has over 20 years of Radiation Protection experience and a member of the National Council of Radiation Protection & Measurements in Bethesda, MD.
International Day of Medical Physics: Dr. Jacob Van Dyk
To celebrate International Day of Medical Physics, the Student Advisory Committee hosted Dr. Jacob Van Dyk for a virtual talk, “Glocal Medical Physics: Past, Present and Future”. Students planned a menu for those who viewed the talk in-person, consisting of empanadas from Lulu’s Empanadas. Everyone took a photo with props at the conclusion of the talk!
Bringing Anatomy into Focus: VR Takes Hold in the Medical Physics Program
Ever since Dr. William Levin, Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology, Penn Medicine, first experienced virtual reality (VR), he’s been looking at things a little differently – literally – and encouraging others to do the same. Now, he’s incorporating VR into his Image-Based Anatomy course for students in Penn’s Medical Physics programs.
“All the planning we do for a patient’s radiation therapy is based upon 2-D representations of their anatomy,” he says. “But to really ensure that the treatment plan is accurate and that we’re directing the radiation to the tumor while avoiding the normal tissue around it, we need to be able to think in 3-D.”
He believes that by incorporating the technology into his class, he will be able to help his students move from 2-D to 3-D thinking faster than they would by slogging through textbooks.
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