NUCLEAR ONCOLOGY / PET FELLOWSHIP

The fellowship is offered as a supplemental year of training for individuals who have completed training in nuclear medicine or nuclear radiology. The fellowship is designed to immerse the fellow in clinical imaging activities with a focus on positron emission tomography (PET) and combined PET/CT, therapy with unsealed sources, clinical seminars, and involvement in PET/CT-related research. The fellow will also participate in structured rotations in diagnostic radiology with a focus on body CT, radiation oncology and medical oncology.

The facilities include both PET-CT and PET scanners in outpatient facilities.  Most patients have oncologic diagnoses, although some studies are performed for dementia and seizure disorders. 

The training curriculum will be tailored to the individual fellow, depending upon prior experience and research interests.  The training consists of at least six months in PET and PET/CT and the remaining time divided between body and chest CT, radiation oncology, medical oncology, and therapy with unsealed radionuclide sources. 

The fellow will attend regularly scheduled weekly conferences and receive didactic instruction in principles of PET and PET/CT for oncology. Training in applications in neurology and cardiology will also be provided. The fellow will be expected to become proficient in all aspects of clinical PET and PET/CT imaging and also participate in clinical research projects related to PET and PET/CT. Southwest PET/CT Institute is certified by the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) for clinical imaging trials, and the University of Arizona is a funded participant in the Imaging Response Assessment Team (IRAT) program of NIH.

There are opportunities for basic research involving PET and SPECT instrumentation and small-animal imaging in collaboration with the Center for Gamma-Ray Imaging, an NIH-funded research resource at the University of Arizona. Additional collaborative research is possible with members of the Advanced Research Institute in Biomedical Imaging (ARIBI) at the University of Arizona.

The fellowship program co-directors are Lisa S. Gobar, M.D., and Fabio Almeida, M.D. The other nuclear medicine faculty members also participate in the training program, along with faculty in body imaging, radiation oncology and medical oncology. All are faculty members at the University of Arizona.

Applications for the fellowship are received during the fall and early winter, followed by review of applications and interviews (by invitation) in late winter. Applicants must have completed USMLE I, II and III, have a medical license and have or be eligible for DEA licensure, and be certified by or eligible for the certifying examination of the American Board of Nuclear Medicine or the American Board of Radiology. Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States. Applicants should be aware that the fellowship is not accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Interested applicants should send a letter of interest and current curriculum vitae along with three letters of recommendation and contact information for the references to:

Vonni Senn, Administrative Associate
Division of Nuclear Medicine
University of Arizona
P.O. Box 245068
Tucson, AZ 85724-5068
Ysenn@email.arizona.edu