Associate Chief Medical Physicist

Brown Medicine•Providence, RI

2d•Onsite

About The Position

SUMMARY: The Assoc. Chief Medical Physicist reports directly to the Medical Physicist-in-Chief, Department of Radiation Oncology for clinical practice and administrative duties and responsibilities. Directs and coordinates the clinical operations of the medical physics group at Rhode Island Hospital. Supervises and directs the activities of the physics and dosimetry personnel. Participates in strategic planning and development of the annual physics and dosimetry budgets. Develops and implements new treatment methods and technology. Provides academic support of the RIH portion of the URI Medical Physics graduate student and RIH Medical Physics Residency program. Provides oversight of the radiation safety program. Brown University Health employees are expected to successfully role model the organization's values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence as these values guide our everyday actions with patients, customers and one another. In addition to our values, all employees are expected to demonstrate the core Success Factors which tell us how we work together and how we get things done. The core Success Factors include: Instill Trust and Value Differences Patient and Community Focus and Collaborate RESPONSIBILITIES: Directs and participates in the specification, selection, and acceptance of radiation-producing machines, accessories, treatment planning equipment, and appropriate documentation thereof. Determines the requirements for, selects or participates in the selection of dosimetric and treatment planning equipment including, but not limited to, measurement instruments to calibrate all treatment equipment and monitoring devices, treatment planning systems, water phantom systems with appropriate ionization chambers and diodes, film densitometry systems, etc. Supervises arrangements for proper maintenance of radiation treatment and diagnostic equipment. Periodically evaluates all equipment for continued utility, appropriateness, reliable performance, age and condition and makes recommendations on practical life span, obsolescence and replacement. Maintains responsibility for the design and implementation of all aspects of the physics quality management program that involves the use of the external beam radiotherapy equipment as well as the review and approval of the procedures followed by the radiation therapy staff. Provides oversight of and participates as needed in yearly quality assurance program including annual and monthly linear accelerator, simulator, and CT calibrations and QA. Ensures equipment is maintained within performance criteria. Develops protocols for performing calculations and treatment plans and for QA procedures that ensure that calculations and treatment plans agree with the physicians' written prescriptions. Ensures all required documentation relating to treatment plans, equipment, and for compliance with accrediting and regulatory agencies is maintained by physics staff. Responsible for the precise and accurate delivery of radiation treatment plans and for the safety of patients and treatment staff. Performs, as needed, specified staff physicist duties, included but not limited to, chart checking, machine calibrations, and quality assurance. Participates in all physics procedures as needed, including QA procedures, brachytherapy procedures, treatment plans, SRS procedures, etc. Consults with physicians regarding brachytherapy treatments, treatment set-ups, clinical problems as needed/requested, documents consultation in medical record, and ensures charge capture for all relevant physics and dosimetry charges. Ensures all regular weekly QA checks for all patients under treatment are performed. Provides direction and oversight as needed including, but not limited to, quarterly meetings, in-services, documentation, adherence to state, federal, and institutional requirements, linac QA program, reporting and follow-up of treatment variances, and annual review of policies and procedures. Serves as the Radiation Safety Officer for the RIH Department of Radiation Oncology. Ensures all aspects of radiation oncology program meets or exceeds radiation safety standards/regulations of state and federal agencies. Responsible for shielding calculations as needed to maintain radiation safety. Clearly communicates expectations about job performance, goals, and assignments. Completes performance evaluations with Medical Physicist-in-Chief. Ensures effective functioning of department; coordinates staff schedules to ensure adequate coverage. Participates in development of goals for radiation oncology division and dosimetry department. Sets goals for physics staff with Medical Physicist-in-Chief. Develops policies and procedures as needed, reviews/revises annually by indicated deadlines, and distributes to/reviews with department personnel. Develops and monitors QI indicators as directed; analyzes indicators below thresholds and makes indicated improvements in timely manner; prepares and presents reports of monitoring and evaluation activities to the QLC as scheduled. Responsible for supporting student programs, designed in conjunction with Brown University faculty, for the clinical instruction of students within RIH and any additional academic partners. This includes oversight of student activities within the clinic, participation in research projects and didactic instruction as time permits.

Requirements

Graduate of doctoral program in medical physics or physics or engineering with a recognized post-doctoral program in medical physics is required.
American Board of Radiology (ABR) or American Board of Medical Physics (ABMP) certification in therapeutic radiological physics required.
Analytical ability to design, develop and evaluate research and development projects, to analyze and resolve problems.
Technical and advanced numerical ability to calibrate machinery, perform complex dosimetry, etc.
Interpersonal skills to teach and supervise Physicists, dosimetrists, therapists, students and to interact with other members of professional staff.
Demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care patients with consideration of aging processes, human development stages and cultural patterns in each step of the care process.
Five years post graduate experience in clinical radiation physics.

Nice To Haves

Minimum of two years experience in stereotactic radiotherapy, prostate brachytherapy, high and low dose rate brachytherapy.
Familiarity with GammaKnife and CyberKnife desirable.

Responsibilities

Directs and participates in the specification, selection, and acceptance of radiation-producing machines, accessories, treatment planning equipment, and appropriate documentation thereof.
Determines the requirements for, selects or participates in the selection of dosimetric and treatment planning equipment including, but not limited to, measurement instruments to calibrate all treatment equipment and monitoring devices, treatment planning systems, water phantom systems with appropriate ionization chambers and diodes, film densitometry systems, etc.
Supervises arrangements for proper maintenance of radiation treatment and diagnostic equipment.
Periodically evaluates all equipment for continued utility, appropriateness, reliable performance, age and condition and makes recommendations on practical life span, obsolescence and replacement.
Maintains responsibility for the design and implementation of all aspects of the physics quality management program that involves the use of the external beam radiotherapy equipment as well as the review and approval of the procedures followed by the radiation therapy staff.
Provides oversight of and participates as needed in yearly quality assurance program including annual and monthly linear accelerator, simulator, and CT calibrations and QA.
Ensures equipment is maintained within performance criteria.
Develops protocols for performing calculations and treatment plans and for QA procedures that ensure that calculations and treatment plans agree with the physicians' written prescriptions.
Ensures all required documentation relating to treatment plans, equipment, and for compliance with accrediting and regulatory agencies is maintained by physics staff.
Responsible for the precise and accurate delivery of radiation treatment plans and for the safety of patients and treatment staff.
Performs, as needed, specified staff physicist duties, included but not limited to, chart checking, machine calibrations, and quality assurance.
Participates in all physics procedures as needed, including QA procedures, brachytherapy procedures, treatment plans, SRS procedures, etc.
Consults with physicians regarding brachytherapy treatments, treatment set-ups, clinical problems as needed/requested, documents consultation in medical record, and ensures charge capture for all relevant physics and dosimetry charges.
Ensures all regular weekly QA checks for all patients under treatment are performed.
Provides direction and oversight as needed including, but not limited to, quarterly meetings, in-services, documentation, adherence to state, federal, and institutional requirements, linac QA program, reporting and follow-up of treatment variances, and annual review of policies and procedures.
Serves as the Radiation Safety Officer for the RIH Department of Radiation Oncology.
Ensures all aspects of radiation oncology program meets or exceeds radiation safety standards/regulations of state and federal agencies.
Responsible for shielding calculations as needed to maintain radiation safety.
Clearly communicates expectations about job performance, goals, and assignments.
Completes performance evaluations with Medical Physicist-in-Chief.
Ensures effective functioning of department; coordinates staff schedules to ensure adequate coverage.
Participates in development of goals for radiation oncology division and dosimetry department.
Sets goals for physics staff with Medical Physicist-in-Chief.
Develops policies and procedures as needed, reviews/revises annually by indicated deadlines, and distributes to/reviews with department personnel.
Develops and monitors QI indicators as directed; analyzes indicators below thresholds and makes indicated improvements in timely manner; prepares and presents reports of monitoring and evaluation activities to the QLC as scheduled.
Responsible for supporting student programs, designed in conjunction with Brown University faculty, for the clinical instruction of students within RIH and any additional academic partners.
This includes oversight of student activities within the clinic, participation in research projects and didactic instruction as time permits.