Treatment Team
From the beginning, our people have been our most important asset. We are proud of our outstanding workforce, including exceptionally talented faculty, loyal and committed technical and support staff and energetic and gifted trainees. As a group, we work together to provide the best care for our patients and their families, and to further our missions in research and training.
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Radiation oncologists
Radiation oncologists are the doctors who oversee your radiation treatment. They work with other specialists, such as medical oncologists and surgeons to coordinate your cancer care. You will see your radiation oncologist the first time you visit the Department of Radiation Oncology, and during the planning phase of your treatment. Your radiation oncologist will prescribe the exact radiation dosage as well as the number of treatments that you will need. Once your daily radiation treatment sessions begin, you will have scheduled appointments with your radiation oncologist at least once every week.
Jay Harris, MD
Department Chair
Harvey Mamon, MD, PhD
Clinical Director
Michele Albert, MD
Tracy Balboni, MD, MPH
Elizabeth Baldini, MD, MPH
Clair Beard, MD
Jennifer Bellon, MD
Aileen Chen, MD, MPP
Anthony D'Amico, MD, PhD
Phillip Devlin, MD
Ray Dugal, MD
Mark Hurwitz, MD
Rita Linggood, MD
Peter Mauch, MD
Karen Marcus, MD
Andrea Ng, MD, MPH
Rinaa Punglia, MD, MPH
Naren Ramakrishna, MD
W. Warren Suh, MD, MPH
Roy B. Tishler, MD, PhD
Akila Viswanathan, MD, MPH
Stephanie Weiss, MD
Julia Wong, MD
Nurses
All of our staff of dedicated nurses are experienced oncology nurses, with varied backgrounds in medicine, medical oncology, surgical oncology, bone marrow transplantation, infectious diseases and critical care. The nurses are paired with physicians in disease-specific practices and actively participate in the co-management of patients with the physician staff.
Physicists
Medical physicists are an important part of the radiation oncology team. The unique perspective these specialists bring to the clinic comes from extensive training in physics, including radiological physics, as well as clinical, basic medical and radiobiological sciences. A medical physicist is an expert in the measurement and delivery of radiation for medical purposes. Medical physicists are specially trained and meet national professional standards through a formal certification process. They are responsible for the overall safety and accuracy of the treatment machines as well as for the computers used to optimize your treatment. The medical physicist works directly with the radiation oncologist during treatment planning and delivery. They may be called in to assist the radiation oncologists or therapists with additional measurements regarding your treatment. In addition, they oversee the work of the dosimetrists to help ensure that complex treatments are individually tailored for each patient. Medical physicists and dosimetrists both check your treatment record weekly while you are under treatment, in order to ensure the accuracy and quality of your treatment.
Dosimetrists
Dosimetrists are personnel specially trained in Radiation Oncology treatment procedures. Dosimetrists assist the Radiation Oncologist in planning your treatment through the use of computers, CT scans, special x-ray films and body measurements. After the Radiation Oncologist gives the Dosimetrist guidelines for the dose to be delivered, the Dosimetrist then optimizes the size, shape and arrangement of the area that will receive the dose of radiation. The goal of the Dosimetrist is to design a combination of fields that adequately treats the area of disease while avoiding areas of sensitive normal tissues. The treatment plans are overseen by a senior Medical Physicist and your Radiation Oncologist before treatment to ensure that you are getting the best possible care.
Radiation therapists
Radiation therapists are responsible for administering the daily radiation treatments that your radiation oncologist prescribes. They participate in the planning and simulation process, provide patient care during treatment sessions, and maintain treatment records. They are responsible for the safe and accurate operation of the high-tech equipment used to give radiation treatments. Radiation therapists are required to complete a two- or four-year program in radiation technology, and must be certified by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.
Resident physicians
Resident physicians or "Residents" in the Department of Radiation Oncology have completed four years of medical school, one year of internship, and are specializing in the field of Radiation Oncology. Residents are integral members of the treatment team. Under supervision, they are involved in all aspects of patient care. These include the initial consultation, discussion with treating physicians from other specialties to develop an overall management strategy, simulation, development of a treatment plan in collaboration with the dosimetry department, and the daily management of patients receiving treatment. Residents rotate through the department to work with a different radiation oncologist every three months.
