Aapm-Powv Chapter Inter-Residency Exchange Program (IREP): Design, Evaluation, and Impact
Abstract
Purpose
Inequitable access to advanced radiotherapy technologies creates gaps in residency education and limits training experiences. The AAPM Penn–Ohio–West Virginia (POWV) Chapter developed a structured Inter-Residency Exchange Program (IREP) to expand resident exposure to state of art modalities. The central aim of this work is to share a replicable, chapter-led model, describe implementation lessons learned, and report learner feedback that informed iterative refinements and supported the establishment of the POWV IREP Committee (Inter-Residency Exchange Program) for sustained oversight.
Methods
Rotations across four institutions were implemented: Proton Therapy (UH, Cleveland, OH), Biology-Guided Radiotherapy (UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA), MR-Guided Radiotherapy (AHN, Pittsburgh, PA), and a multi-modality rotation (Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH). Participants completed standardized post-rotation surveys using ordinal Likert-scale items assessing communication, agenda clarity, educational value, discussion quality, logistics, and overall experience. Quantitative analysis employed descriptive ordinal statistics, reporting counts and percentages by domain and rotation. A Top-2-Box approach defined primary positive responses (Excellent + Good; Exceeded + Met; Yes).
Results
Surveys represented 38 respondents (UH Proton n=7; UPMC BgRT n=11; AHN MR-Linac n=7; CC multi-modality n=13). Core outcomes were strong, including overall experience (38/38 Top-2-Box, 100%), agenda clarity (38/38 Yes, 100%), encouragement to ask questions (37/38 Yes, 97.4%), hospital tours (37/38 Top-2-Box, 97.4%), and recommendation of the rotation (38/38 Yes, 100%). Bottom-box responses were concentrated in communication and logistical domains, identifying system-level opportunities for earlier dissemination of information and clearer orientation across rotations. Open-ended comments reinforced these findings and informed targeted program refinements.
Conclusion
This work shares the design and implementation of a chapter-led inter-residency exchange model that expands access to advanced radiotherapy education while strengthening regional networking and fostering inter-institutional collaboration. Quantitative learner feedback guided targeted program refinements and informed the establishment of the POWV IREP Committee, supporting continuous improvement, coordinated oversight, and long-term sustainability.