The clinical training in our program takes place at the University of Michigan, Providence Hospital and Medical Center in Southfield, Michigan, and the Veteran's Administration Medical Center in Ann Arbor. These practice settings expose the residents to a broad spectrum of complex oncologic problems. Under staff supervision, residents evaluate all new patients and participate in the simulation and planning of patient treatment. Residents follow patients through the course of therapy and in follow-up. Clinical training at the department level occurs in a variety of forms, including new patient conferences, chart rounds, treatment planning conferences, journal clubs and invited lectures.
Residents prepare seminars and lectures on clinical subjects.
Many tumor boards provide clinical training that involves faculty both inside and outside the department. This experience in multidisciplinary management offers a template for interactions with colleagues in other fields - increasingly important in cancer care. Medical physics and radiation and cancer biology are taught in didactic courses conducted approximately ten months per year. Residents are exposed to these courses in the first and third years to help consolidate important information. A course dedicated to the statistical issues relevant to the conduct and interpretation of clinical trials is offered as well.