Robert Amdur, MD, named Editor in Chief of Practical Radiation Oncology

ARLINGTON, Va., January 15, 2020 — The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) announced today that Robert Amdur, MD, will become the new Editor in Chief of Practical Radiation Oncology, ASTRO’s clinical practice journal. Dr. Amdur, a professor of radiation oncology at the University of Florida College of Medicine, will begin his five-year term on January 1, 2021.

Dr. Amdur will take the reins from W. Robert Lee, MD, FASTRO, who has served as Editor in Chief since the journal launched in 2011. Dr. Amdur has been on the editorial board of Practical Radiation Oncology since the journal began, as well as an associate editor of American Journal of Clinical Oncology since 2003. An accomplished researcher, he also has authored or co-authored more than 300 published books, chapters and journal articles.

In the past decade, Practical Radiation Oncology has become the go-to resource for research and commentary on quality and safety in radiation oncology, and the journal received its first impact factor (2.794) in June 2019. Dr. Amdur said he plans to continue this upward trajectory and build the journal’s growing prestige while also responding to new trends in scholarly publishing, such as building pilot projects to expand the use of podcasts, video archives and interactive forums.

Dr. Amdur also sees a commitment to diversity as fundamental to the journal’s success. “Diversity doesn’t just happen spontaneously. You have to make it happen. I helped create one of the most diverse faculty and resident programs in the country, and I will ensure the same degrees of diversity and quality continue in the PRO editorial and reviewer teams.”

ASTRO launched Practical Radiation Oncology to improve the quality of radiation oncology practice, and each bi-monthly issue includes original articles that focus on patient safety and quality improvement, including clinical guidelines. Popular articles from 2019 include ASTRO guidelines for skin, pancreatic and prostate cancers, as well as studies on physician burnout, end-of-life care for patients with cancer and patient access to doctors’ notes. In the coming year, ASTRO plans to publish treatment guidelines for small cell lung cancer, hereditary breast cancer and cervical cancer.

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The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is the world’s largest radiation oncology society, with more than 10,000 members who are physicians, nurses, biologists, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other health care professionals who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. The Society is dedicated to improving patient care through professional education and training, support for clinical practice and health policy standards, advancement of science and research, and advocacy. ASTRO publishes three medical journals, International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics, Practical Radiation Oncology and Advances in Radiation Oncology; developed and maintains an extensive patient website, RT Answers; and created the nonprofit foundation Radiation Oncology Institute. To learn more about ASTRO, visit our website, sign up to receive our news and follow us on our blog, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.