During the four year training period, residents are required to complete an investigative project under faculty supervision. This may take the form of biological laboratory research, clinical research, medical physics research, or the retrospective analysis of data from treated patients. It is expected that the results of these projects will be suitable for publication in peer-reviewed scholarly journals or presentation at scientific meetings. Resident research projects are designed by the resident's interest and involvement in faculty research projects. Residents are given the opportunity to choose which research projects they participate in based on their personal interests. Research usually begins in the second or third year of residency and each resident is given six months of dedicated research time. The program is very supportive of resident research endeavors and encourages residents to participate in as many as they wish throughout their training.