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The Accelerators host (Dr. Anna Laucis, Matt Spraker, and Simul Parikh) another resident-attending duo to discuss the #RadOnc workforce and job market! 

Drs. Mudit Chowdhary and  John Shumway (a graduating PGY-5 resident at University of North Carolina) review their recent publication evaluating trends in numbers of yearly society job board postings versus graduating residents. We then analyze some of the paper's methods and online discussion of the statistics.

We then discuss the ratio of job postings to graduating residents over time and supplement the data with the lived experience of interviewing for a job in #RadOnc. There is now a strong, data-driven argument against expanding residency positions in our field, so what factors are being considered when departments decide to expand? Are people considering activity in their region? We don't think so.

Finally, Mudit is optimistic that publication and discussion of this issue has initiated a contraction, or at least halted growth. We all agree that progress has been made and modern discussion of the radiation oncology workforce is improved compared to the past.

Remember friends, help control the graduating resident population and don't SOAP in March!

Here are some other things mentioned during the show:

• The Emergency Medicine Workforce Study
• "How Much Are Resident Physicians Worth?" by friend of the show Dr. Carmody (The Sheriff of Sodium)
• Mudit's article on the growth of radiation oncology residency programs 
• The 2020 ARRO Graduating Resident Survey 

Podcast art generously donated by Dr. Danielle Cunningham. Intro and Outro music generously donated by Emmy-award winning artist Lucas Cantor Santiago.

The Accelerators Podcast is a Photon Media production. 

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In this episode, the Accelerators (Dr. Anna Laucis, Matt Spraker, and Simul Parikh) discuss current events and topics: conflicts of interest, the definition of SBRT, medical marijuana, and ultrasound image guidance for skin cancers. 

Here is a book mentioned during the show: 

• How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollen

Podcast art generously donated by Dr. Danielle Cunningham. Intro and Outro music generously donated by Emmy-award winning artist Lucas Cantor Santiago.

The Accelerators Podcast is a Photon Media production. 

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In this episode, Matt hosts patient advocates Julie Johnson (@solongsarcoma) and Katie Coleman (@kaydaustin) to share their experiences and opinions about clinical trials. 

We start by discussing how patients find clinical trials and how they might be offered in oncology clinics. Is there a difference when one's oncologist says "There are no trials available" versus "I'm not aware of any trials"? Julie and Katie raise important considerations, especially for patients with rare cancers. 

We then discuss their experience with trial finders and how to manage participating in a trial, which may be out of state, many miles from home. 

The discussion ends with a challenge for oncology trialists. Why are there not more adjuvant trials in the curative setting? Can we be more thoughtful about the types of trials we run What happens to the patient-participants after trials end? 

Certainly there is much to consider.

We hope you enjoy the beginning of our first patient-driven conversation. 

Some other things that were mentioned in the show:

• Join over 50,000 fans and follow Katie on TikTok, YouTube, and Insta
• Some trial finders: Cancer Commons and TrialJectory
• ClinicalTrials.gov

Podcast art generously donated by Dr. Danielle Cunningham. Intro and Outro music generously donated by Emmy-award winning artist Lucas Cantor Santiago.

The Accelerators Podcast is a Photon Media production. 

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Accelerators hosts Drs. Simul "Neil" Parikh and Anna Laucis hosts The Neils!

Drs. Neil Newman, Neil Parikh, Avinash Chaurasia join Anna in sharing their thoughts after completing their first year of independent practice. Of course they discuss the 3 A's, but there is so much more. The doctors discuss how to gel with your team, protect your health, and other strategies to enjoy your PGY-6 year.  Celebrate yourself!

A thing mentioned on the show:

• Book Recommendation - Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

Podcast art generously donated by Dr. Danielle Cunningham. Intro and Outro music generously donated by Emmy-award winning artist Lucas Cantor Santiago.

The Accelerators Podcast is a Photon Media production. 

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The Accelerators host (Dr. Anna Laucis, Matt Spraker, and Simul Parikh) the Suneja Lab,
leaders in health equity research! Radiation Oncologist Dr. Gita Suneja and PGY-5 resident Dr. Ryan Hutten to discuss their recent publication examining disparities in initiation of advanced radiotherapy between White patients and patients of minoritized groups. 

We summarize and analyze the paper, then discuss potential causes of these disparities. Of course, we must #FixPriorAuthNow - like, yesterday - but the causes spill outside the hospital. Racism and disparities in wealth, power, and resources add up in complex ways to delay care. 

We then discuss Dr. Suneja's local efforts to act on these findings, her health equity research laboratory. The group offers mentorship for a diverse group of students and cross pollination of ideas while recognizing health equity research as a valid academic pursuit. But you don't have to start a lab to act; we share ways to improve equity in your clinic as well.

Finally, Simul's Lighting Round is back! Grab your favorite mocktail, we're headed to Salt Lake City.

Other things we talked about in the show:

• Hutten et al. on worsening disparities between racial and ethnic groups in IMRT use in the US.
• The Michigan Radiation Oncology Quality Consortium (MROQC)

Podcast art generously donated by Dr. Danielle Cunningham. Intro and Outro music generously donated by Emmy-award winning artist Lucas Cantor Santiago.

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We're back!

The Season 2 premier of Rad Onc's favorite podcast was inspired by Simul's Twitter poll on neoadjuvant radiotherapy dosing for esophageal cancer! Are you team 4140 or 5040... or something else?

In this episode, the Accelerators (Dr. Anna Laucis, Matt Spraker, and Simul Parikh) host Mayo Clinic Radiation Oncology GI specialist Dr. Krishan Jethwa and PGY-3 resident Dr. Yasamin Sharifzadeh for a conversation about the poll. We discuss dose selection and chemotherapy regimens for esophageal treatment as well as open-mindedness in adopting therapeutic strategies. 

Later, we discuss whether radiotherapy dose-escalation may offer patients benefits, the value of proton therapy for this disease, and... wait for it... carbon ions! 

Here are some studies discussed during the show: 

• Protect-1402 (FOLFOX and RT) and an associated treatment planning study
• ECOG-ACRIN 2174 (ImmunoRT)
• PRODIGE 26 (Dose Escalation) 
• ESO-Shanghi 12 (Dose Escalation)
• NRG GI-006 (Protons, phase 3)
• MDACC Trial (Protons, phase 2B)

Podcast art generously donated by Dr. Danielle Cunningham. Intro and Outro music generously donated by Emmy-award winning artist Lucas Cantor Santiago.

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Dr. Matt Spraker is joined by Dr. Jason Beckta for a petite episode packed with announcements and teasers for The Accelerators Podcast Season 2.  The Accelerators will return from Summer break with renewed focus on "news and views", shorter episodes, and a new theme song generously donated by award winning musician Lucas Cantor Santiago! Check out his piece (and our theme song) "Pop With Toys" at the end of this teaser ep.

There's more. Today, Jason is launching his new podcast Out Of The Basement. It's an off-the-cuff educational podcast anchored in Radiation Medicine. It's taking RadMed out of the basement and into the underground. In a timely release, Matt and Jason have a wide-ranging discussion of #RadOnc contracts, work, and life in the first two episodes. Don't miss them!

Out Of The Basement will join The Accelerators Podcast in our new collaborative effort, Photon Media. Check out back at our shiny new website frequently for new episode releases and projects.

Here are some other things that were mentioned in the show:
-Lucas Cantor Santiago Music
-Lucas teams up with Huawei to complete Franz Schubert's unfinished Symphony No. 8
-Jason's website (becktamd.com)

Podcast art generously donated by Dr. Danielle Cunningham. Theme music "Pop With Toys" generously donated by Louis Cantor Santiago.

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In part 2 of our series on paternal leave,  Accelerator Dr. Simul Parikh hosts 3 of our favorite #RadOnc and #MedPhys experts who are also moms: Dr. Laura Dover, Dr. Kaleigh Doke, and Dr. Kelly Paradis. 

The episode begins with Kelly, Laura, and Kaleigh sharing their experiences with paternal leave, which can vary between institutions and clinics. They then discuss how practice and compensation structures may impact how and when parents-to-be take leave from work.

Then the group covers the importance of leave for non-birthing partners and how those in leadership positions can establish healthy departmental culture surrounding parental leave.  In fact, #RadOnc and #MedPhys may have a unique opportunity in medicine to leverage remote work and enact change for parents balancing work and life! 

They close the discussion with tips for moms (or moms-to-be) who are interviewing for job, and thoughts on sharing home responsibilities with their partners. 

The episode concludes with Laura, Kaleigh, and Kelly diving in to The Accelerators Lighting Round!

Podcast art generously donated by Dr. Danielle Cunningham. 

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Fill your cup with this inspiring episode of The Accelerators Podcast!

Dr. Matt Spraker is joined by Dr. Julianne Pollard-Larkin, medical physicist, service chief of the thoracic physics group at MD Anderson Cancer Center, and chair of the EDI Committee of the AAPM. We discuss topics and strategies for creating an inclusive workplace for all of #RadOnc, especially now when we need it the most. 

We begin with a discussion of how to be a great leader and it starts self-care. Star athletes don't do it alone, get yourself a coach! 

The discussion then moves to our personal experiences with COVID, the importance of leading with a physical presence, and how MD Anderson Radiation Oncology is screening for burnout. 

We close with a more traditional discussion of DEI and Julie's important work with AAPM creating affinity groups.

Some other things mentioned in the show:

• Black Men in White Coats 
• Dr. Kamran et al. analysis of diversity of US medical academic faculty over time and associated tweetorial

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Happy Father's Day! Dr. Simul Parikh, host of The Accelerators Podcast, rounds up an all-star team of #RadOnc dads for part 1 of our 2 part series on parental leave and achieving work-life balance as a parent. Drs. Mudit Chowdhary, Sean McBride, and Ben Willen share their experiences with leave and how zoom video calls and evolving supervision policies may (or may not) help #RadOnc dads be the best they can be.

Later, the guys give tips to soon-to-be dad Ben and cover a staple Accelerators topics, pizza and vacations. Congratulations Ben!

Podcast art generally donated by Dr. Danielle Cunningham.