Here is a sample of some of the places visited. Hope this is helpful.
Most of these places have been discussed in depth in previous years so I wont reinvent the wheel here but simply to add a few of my own thoughts. I thought the following threads were particularly helpful while I was applying:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=42456&page=1
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=42456&page=5&pp=25
Perhaps my impression of some of these programs was slightly affected by reading the postings prior to the actual visit. However, the concensus opinion on the forum was fairly reflective of how I felt about the programs afterwards. That being said, I will certainly welcome any corrections and comments.
In no particular order . . .
Michigan: This is a great program, largely due to Dr. Lawrences visionary leadership. The degree of support Michigan offers their residents was truly impressive. Dr. Lawrence is MD/PhD, dually trained in heme/onc and rad onc so he aspires to train radiation oncologists well-versed in all aspects of cancer care who will advance the field through research. This vision will likely reasonate with a lot of applicants entering the field these days. The department has had several successful Holman applicants in the past. However, none of these individuals has yet to secure any K08 funding to my knowledge (which is a bit puzzling). Dr. Lawrence expects people to conduct primarily translational research or something with direct application to radiation oncology. This stipulation may be problematic for some with experience and interest in the basic sciences. Michigan also has a great physics department with an in house planning software. The department enjoys a lot of support from the school since several high level administrators are affiliated with the department, i.e. Dr. Lichter and Dr. Pierce. Residents appeared down-to-earth, laid-back and happy. Rumors on this forum in the past claimed that the work-load is pretty heavy, especially during internship. Did not get this sense at all during the visit. Granted, they may work harder relative to some programs but compare to surgery or some branches of medicine, the lifestyle is still quite tolerable. Grads tend to gravitate towards academia in recent years and land top notch jobs. Many have chosen to remain at Michigan. Ann Arbor is expensive for the mid-West yet compared with the coasts, it is still quite affordable with enough fun things to do. Plus, residents get an additional 6-7K (forget the exact figure) bonus every year around Christmas on top of their salary (not sure why they dont just increase the base salary). Very impressed!
Wisconsin: Another great program . . . Madison, being the capitol of Wisconsin, surprisingly had a more small town feel compared to Ann Arbor. Madison also gets a lot colder in the winter. Dr. Mehta is a leader in tomotherapy and the PD, Dr. Harari, is very supportive of research, albeit not the Holman Pathway. The program will allow residents to extend their training by 1-2 years with funding to pursue research. This option guarantees everyone gets comparable clinical training. There is a new Cancer Center in construction. Someone commented there appeared to be no women in the programan observation that did not escape our notice. There was one female faculty but no female residents. Socially the theme revolved a lot around sports and beer. Not sure if this will change in the future but interviews consisted of two panels lasting approximately 15 minutes each.
MD Anderson: MD Anderson has been continuously praised on this forum and it is abundantly clear why. The institution is like the Death Staroverflowing with technology and opulence. The faculty and residents are really energetic and fun to hang around. They clearly all enjoy working with each other and at MD Anderson. The interview is a panel with 9-10??? members of the selection committeesort of like arguing in front of the Supreme Court. Dr. Cox is a dynamic leader and a great advocate for the residents. The program director, Dr. Buchholz, is likewise fantastic. This is the home of The Red Journal. The new proton center, scheduled to open this spring, will be only one of a handful in the nation and boasts the state-of-the-art pencil-beam technology (correct me if Im wrong but I believe MD Anderson will be the first center with this capability). Resident education is a top priority here. While the patient population is huge, not all patients are covered by residents so the workload is actually lighter than at some comparable institutions. I suspect that with the new proton center, the patient population will only increase. If you build it, they will come. The department also holds a boards review course and has one of the best series on teaching planning and dosimetry to the residents. Awesome conferences where the entire department turns out in throngs. Good food, low cost of living, and relatively warm weather even during the winter. I did not get a great sense of the research opportunities here but was told that in the past, residents have taken advantage of labs at nearby institutions such as Baylor. With such enormous resources, you could probably do just about anything within reason. Grads are highly sought after, both in academia and in private practice. There appeared to be at least one junior faculty recruited from MD Anderson at many of the places I visited. Barring any geographical or personal factors, I could see this program at or near the top of anyones list.
Harvard: After the merger between the former Joint Center and MGH, it is really difficult, if not impossible, to pinpoint any weakness in the program. Residents do have to move around every 6 months or so which may be inconvenient since you dont have a permanent cubicle and have to transport all of your belongings every time you move. Aside from that, this program appears to have it allproton beam, large peds population since Childrens Hospital is part of the Harvard conglomerate, well-known attending with several existing data bases. Patient load appears heavier on the MGH side than the BWH side since residents cover an entire service at MGH vs working with a specific attending at BWH. Teaching is pretty good, although the residents spend a fair chunk of time preparing for case presentations. The PD appears to be very supportive and is one of the creators of the Holman Pathway. Hence, the Holman Pathway, or research in general, is highly promoted here. Residents get 1 year of protected research time, the most at any of the institutions I visited. They have the option of completing a MPH over at the School of Public Health during this time. There seems to be a good mix between those doing clinical outcome research vs bench. Some residents have even done research off-site at other institutions so the possibilities appear to be endless. There is a strong push for an academic career and the current senior residents have choices of several of attractive offers (even those going into private practice!). This is a large program, if not the largest in the nation, but a large percentage of the class each year seems to be comprised of Harvard students (2-3) and those who have rotated here. Aside from the bitter cold and high cost of living in Boston, this is one of the most versatile, academically driven programs that could easily top anyones rank list.
Duke: The malignant reputation appeared to be largely a thing of the past. The new department chair, Dr. Chris Willett, was really nice and uniformly praised by the faculty. He helped to revamp its physics department and introduced IMRT to Duke. Duke has always had a strong radiobiology department. Traditionally, residents appeared to gravitate more towards private practice. At least on the day I was there, attendance at the conference and lunch appeared low. The department has a disproportionate number of faculty trained at the former Joint Center. Extensive comparisons were drawn between Duke and the Harvard Program throughout the day which was a bit disconcerting. This is a fine program that should stand on its own merits rather than comparing itself to something else.
You get affordable parking if you live a certain distance from the hospital (~2 miles). Otherwise, you either pay a ridiculous amount or take public transport. The nice thing is that if you know Chicago, to have a parking space in that part of town is gold. You can walk to shopping, tons of restaurants, the lake/beach, nightlife (Rush/Division). It's a beautiful hospital, one of the nicest I've seen. Rad-onc is still in the basement, though, no windows. There's a Starbucks and Au Bon Pain in house. 
