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Courtney Williams
DOS 772-501: Dosimetry Clinical Practicum II
8/7/2022

Professional Service-Learning Journal

For my second service-learning project I participated in two different teaching events
within the medical dosimetry department at my clinical internship site. These events gave me the
opportunity to help others learn and help with the workload within the dosimetry department. My
first teaching opportunity involved helping a radiation therapy student who was rotating through
the clinic. The second opportunity involved helping a new physics resident at the clinic. These
two different teaching exercises gave me the opportunity to pass on information that is useful for
interdisciplinary collaboration.
During my first teaching exercise one staff dosimetrist, one dosimetry assistant, and I
helped a radiation therapy student learn more about dosimetry concepts. The student needed to
learn about dosimetry concepts for learning competencies during her clinical rotation. I was the
first person scheduled to spent 45 minutes teaching the student. I went over 3D conformal
treatment planning before the others went over advanced treatment planning concepts. I started
by briefly explaining the treatment planning process from a dosimetry perspective. I went over
contouring before discussing beam arrangements, accessory devices, and dose distribution. I was
able to open some previous plans that I had completed to provide the student with visual
examples of isodose distribution with wedge pairs, parallel opposed beam arrangements, field-in-
field plans, and different beam weighting.
I also had the opportunity to discuss replanning with the student. I had recently
completed new contours and a modified treatment plan for a patient that the student had treated
on the linear accelerator. I talked to the student about her experience when analyzing daily
imaging and was able to explain how replanning options are examined. For this patient, weight
loss and bladder filling were what prompted the medical physicist and radiation oncologist to
determine that a replan was needed. It was interesting to show the student how the weight loss,
and the bladder filling to a smaller degree, affected the dose distribution. It reminded me of my
time as a radiation therapist. My coworkers and I used to wonder why the patients we thought
were most in need of replans did not receive them while other patients did. I now understand that
there are many things to consider when deciding whether a patient needs a new plan. Those
things are not always easy to see since the therapists cannot see the dose distribution. It was
interesting for me to recognize how much my learning has evolved. At the end of the session, I
had the opportunity to give the student tips for studying for the radiation therapy board exam. I
told her what practice tests and supplementary sources were helpful for me. Being able to help
her learn new concepts and provide her with tips to help her in the future was exciting for me. It
reminds me that I need to find more opportunities to help others and pass on knowledge.
During my second teaching exercise I helped the new physics resident learn about the
treatment planning process in the medical dosimetry department. He had just started his three-
year residency and was eager to learn about treatment planning. I was the first person to teach
him before he shadowed other staff dosimetrist. Over the 90-minute session, I explained the
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treatment planning process including image fusions, contouring, and basic treatment planning.
Later that day, I was able to help answer questions while the resident practiced contouring.
In conclusion, these two teaching exercises gave me the opportunity to pass on
knowledge while promoting interdisciplinary understanding. I was able to reflect on how much I
have learned about treatment planning by having the chance to teach what I know. I was also
able to review the treatment planning process from a radiation therapist and medical physicist
perspective. It is always helpful to consider other disciplines while treatment planning. There are
small things I can do to make a treatment plan better for the radiation therapists and the medical
physicists. I will continue to look for ways to provide the best treatment plans while making the
radiation therapist’s and medical physicist’s jobs easier. That will lead to better results overall.
Seeking out new opportunities to teach can give me the chance to help others, consider other
perspectives, and encourage my own learning.

RTT student competency list

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Email about RTT student teaching schedule:

Email about physics resident teaching schedule: