DOSIMETRIST / 40 HOURS / DAYS

DOSIMETRIST / 40 HOURS / DAYS - BWH RADIATION ONCOLOGY

Responsibilities: General summary: Medical dosimetrists are trained to work as team members in managing cancer patients going through radiation treatments. They are trained in all areas of basic medical physics with special emphasis in treatment planning. The primary role is to understand and integrate the clinical information specified by the radiation oncologist for each patient. They then utilize departmental resources to design optimal treatment strategies and to ensure that such treatments are properly delivered. They work closely with physicists, physicians, therapists, nurses and engineers. **A special requirement for this position, which is intended to address the treatment planning needs for our Network Facilities at South Shore Hospital, Weymouth Woods Hospital and Milford, is the ability to perform periodic travel for work between the three sites (SSH, WW and Milford) and occasionally to the Boston site** Principal Duties and Responsibilities A Treatment Planning The routine treatment planning activities are usually carried out by medical dosimetrists. Irradiation modalities may includes both external and brachytherapy sources. The tasks include: 1. Collection and analysis of patient data; interaction with radiation oncologists to define target volumes and critical structures. 2. Design of an optimal approach and calculation of the corresponding dose distributions for the treatment. 3. Design of immobilization device(s) or other accessories to ensure reproducibility of the treatments and conformation to the plan and/or the simulation. 4. Design of custom shielding blocks, compensators and other beam modifying devices to optimize dose distributions. When necessary, they also may fabricate these devices. 5. Radiation dosage calculation and documentation of radiation beam output according to the plan and the physician?s description. 6. Implementation of the treatment plan in the clinic. 7. Verification of the doses delivered to the patient. When necessary, the dosimetrists may be required to perform dose measurements on a patient or in a physical object simulating the patient and interpret the results. 8. Besides planning for brachytherapy, dosimetrists may also be required to assist in the loading and removal of sources from patients. 9. Dosimetrists may need to assist in all aspects of radiation safety, including ordering sources, inventory control and maintain documentation to meet regulatory requirements. B. Quality Assurance of Patient Treatments 1. Routinely, dosimetrists check all the calculations performed by the therapists. 2. Once a week, dosimetrists check current treatment charts to verify that the treatment plan and the physics-related data are used and recorded properly by the therapists. 3. Once a week, dosimetrists attend New patient conference General Chart Rounds to review selected cases. C. Participation in Special Treatments When a specific treatment is complicated, they may have to participate and monitor these treatment deliveries. Dosimetrists maybe trained to participate in special treatment techniques. These may include stereotactic irradiation, high dose rate brachytherapy, intravascular irradiation and MRI guided prostate implants. D. Radiation dose measurements and physical quality assurance They are knowledgeable in the field of basic radiation measurements as they will use various dosimetric equipments to determine the radiation dose to the patient on site. They will also participate in routine physical quality assurance and machine data acquisition program. E. Teaching Dosimetrists participate and assist in the teaching programs covering the Therapist training program, occassionally the resident training program, and the physics post doctoral training program F. Other duties as assigned. Requirements: Qualifications A. Education Minimum formal education is a Bachelor's degree. Preferably, the area of concentration in college is science, mathematics, or engineering. Ideally, the candidate should have a Bachelors degree in Radiological Sciences with a good computer programming experience. Alternatively, experienced registered therapists with an Associate Degree may also be considered. Special courses: However, preference will be given to those who have taken college level courses in anatomy physiology, clinical oncology, atomic nuclear physics, radiation protection, diagnostic physics nuclear medicine techniques, radiation therapy physics, computer programming, calculus and analytic geometry, linear algebra vector analysis, statistics, basic electronics. B. Experience and certification: Certified Medical Dosimetrist by the Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board. Preferably five or more years of dosimetry experience in a radiation oncology department. Experience with 3D, IMRT and VMAT. C. Other skill requirements The dosimetrists must be familiar with all aspects of radiation therapy, both biological as well as physical concepts. They must understand the treatment protocols and have a basic understanding of the diseases encountered. Certainly, the dosimetrists should be well versed in basic anatomy. One of the basic skills needed in treatment planning, is a good understanding of analytic geometry. The ability to think and express in three dimensional terms is very helpful. One must be able to convey these spatial concepts to the physicians and technologists. Another essential skill is the competence in applying mathematics and physics principles in their daily work. Other skills used by the dosimetrists include, ability to use different computers, laboratory skills to allow for accurate testing of machines and equipment, design skills to change ideas into usable products, manual dexterity to sometimes allow fabrication of devices for better treatment, mould room techniques to insure accurate and reproducible treatments. The dosimetrists must be mature, considerate and honest individuals as there are many types of people involved in their daily routines. Professionally, they should have the ability and the desire to provide competent and efficient health care. Because of the multitude and diversity of treatment data involved in their daily work, they should have the ability to attend to details in complex matters. Furthermore, they should be eager and have the capacity to learn and expand their knowledge. Shift: Day Shift EEO Statement: An EEO, AA, VEVRAA Employer