Loyola University Medical Center Program

Program Identity & Fit

Loyola/Hines is a small, university-affiliated four-year radiation oncology program (eight residents total) built on an integrated academic-VA model, pairing a 567-bed tertiary university hospital with the Hines VA Hospital, giving residents a dual population of complex Chicago-area tertiary referrals and the broader VISN 12 veteran network. The curriculum is disease-site structured with dedicated dosimetry/physics and 6-12 month research electives (typically PGY-4), a mandatory pediatric oncology rotation at St. Jude, and an explicit expectation that residents produce mentored research culminating in national presentation and manuscript, including projects with direct relevance to veteran patients. The program frames itself around Jesuit mission values (compassionate, whole-person care) while explicitly aiming to prepare graduates for board certification and "maximally competitive" job placement, indicating a career-outcomes orientation alongside its academic/research infrastructure. It values collegiality, individualized mentorship toward each resident's career goals, and a blend of technical/procedural proficiency (brachytherapy, IORT, particle therapy exposure) with scholarly output.