Shelby Hall

DOS 772

Professional Service Journal

For my professional service learning project, I had the amazing opportunity to volunteer
at the 44th Annual AAMD Meeting in Anaheim, CA. The meeting was June 15-20, 2019, and I
was able to volunteer for three of those days. The annual meeting consists of educational
sessions, exhibits, and workshops that allow Medical Dosimetrists to keep up to date on the latest
ongoing advancements in the field of radiation oncology. The vendors of the products that we
use on a daily basis are there to discuss new products/updates and answer any questions you
might have. It is also an excellent opportunity to network with others in the field and discuss
issues or learn new ideas from each other. As a student, it was really a great opportunity to
network and introduce myself to people who might be potentially hiring in the next few months
as graduation gets closer.

As volunteers, we had morning meetings before the events started for the day. We were
given our volunteer schedule and were able to meet Patty Sponseller, who was the in charge of
organizing the volunteers. I was assigned the task of scanning badges for several sessions during
the three days I was able to volunteer. Usually, about 10-15 minutes into the educational sessions
we would go around to each person and scan their event badge. This enables each person to
receive their CE credits for each session they attend. I really enjoyed being able to volunteer
because I was still able to attend the sessions and listen/learn about the topics that were being
discussed, some of which were new concepts to me thus far. It was also a great way to meet
people, make connections, and see where everybody came from.

I feel very grateful to have been able to attend and volunteer at this event. I learned some
new concepts and got a glimpse into what the future of medical dosimetry might look like. I was
able to take this new knowledge and apply it in the clinic. I was also able to help my peers
continue their education and receive the credits they need. This event made me excited and
inspired for my future as a medical dosimetrist. It is wonderful that our field is constantly
evolving and that we have opportunities like this one to come together, learn new developments,
and then improve the treatment for our patients. I hope to continue to volunteer for the AAMD
and become more involved in what they do after completing this program.
Figure 1. Class Picture with Anne Marie at the AAMD student session.