New York Proton Center Launches Proton Therapy Training Program
Inaugural session of first-of-its-kind “Proton Therapy School” featured lecture series led by clinical experts & in-depth discussions on patient case studies
New York, NY, September 15, 2020 – The New York Proton Center (NYPC) today became the first proton therapy center to launch a comprehensive Proton Therapy School aimed at educating clinicians across the United States and around the world on how to successfully utilize and optimally deliver modern pencil beam-scanning proton therapy.
The first training programs – separate schools for physicians and for dosimetrists – were delivered virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. NYPC is developing individualized curriculums for new and existing proton therapy centers both domestically and internationally that will receive training in the coming months.
Launched in 2019 by a consortium of leading academic medical centers including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Mount Sinai Health System and Montefiore Health System, NYPC is one of the most advanced and technologically sophisticated proton therapy facilities in the world.
Sponsored by renowned medical technology provider Varian Medical Systems, which supplied the state-of-the-art ProBeam® proton therapy system available at the NYPC, this hands-on education program allows members of the NYPC clinical team to share valuable insights on utilizing and delivering the most current proton therapy technology.
“Proton therapy has proven highly effective in improving outcomes and reducing toxicities for many cancers based on decades of successful treatment and research, yet it is still a relatively new field in which specialty training and technical knowledge are critically needed,” said Dr. Charles Simone, FACRO, Chief Medical Officer of The New York Proton Center. “Our highly experienced team has developed a comprehensive breadth of educational tools, observerships and training programs for physicians, physicists, dosimetrists, therapists and administrators. We look forward to sharing more of what we have learned with others as proton therapy becomes more widely available.” Dr. Arpit Chhabra, Director of Education at NYPC, added, “It’s a privilege to welcome oncologists of excellence to NYPC and establish collaborative relationships that look to advance the future of proton therapy.”
“It is an honor not only to partner with the clinical experts at the New York Proton Center, but to help them share with others the innovations in proton therapy treatment they are spearheading in New York City,” said Kolleen T. Kennedy, President, Proton Solutions & Chief Growth Officer, Varian Medical Systems, Inc. “The Proton Therapy School developed by NYPC faculty reflects the kind of dynamic peer learning that drives medical progress, and the combination of great clinical knowledge with best-in-class treatment technology that participants in these courses will find is exceptional.”
For additional information, please visit www.nyproton.com.
About the New York Proton Center
The New York Proton Center is creating the gold standard for proton therapy, giving new hope to patients living with cancer. In partnership with leading academic medical centers—Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Montefiore Health System, Mount Sinai Health System, and ProHEALTH as manager—the New York Proton Center brings together expert oncologists, clinical care teams, and researchers to improve cancer care and advance the clinical evidence for proton therapy.