Therapeutic Medical Physicist

Department of Veterans Affairs•Oklahoma City, OK

59d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within 4 months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) as determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. Duties: The employee plans, delivers, verifies, and monitors quality assurance of radiotherapy at all levels of complexity. Specific tasks include: recommending an optimal modality and treatment technique for the patient; evaluating the quality, safety, and accuracy of radiation treatments planned and delivered to patients, thus ensuring that radiation dose is carried out correctly and completely; and safely operating all radiation planning and delivery devices. The TMP implements radiation therapy of outstanding technical difficulty and responsibility, providing knowledge-based solutions to resolving issues where no rule-based solutions exist. The employee plans and directs a specialized program encompassing all physics and clinical aspects of external beam treatment procedures from treatment simulation to treatment planning to the actual treatment delivery. The TMP provides technical oversight for the work of entry level TMPs, medical dosimetrists and radiation therapists and oversees Residents in accordance with VHA Handbook 1400.01. The incumbent oversees radiation therapy treatment planning; designs and approves treatment plans; monitors the accuracy of treatment data recorded in the patient's medical records; provides consultation to the radiation oncologist regarding difficult treatment cases; performs patient-specific treatment validation measurements; and develops medical physics policies and procedures for the delivery and quality assessment of advanced treatment modalities such as intensity modulated radiation therapy, and stereotactic body radiation therapy. The TMP develops, operates and fully documents the medical physics quality assurance program and ensures regulatory compliance within the Radiation Safety Officer's radiation safety program. The employee safely utilizes and properly operates all radiation oncology equipment and is therefore qualified and responsible for educating radiation oncology team members including radiation oncologists, radiation therapists and dosimetrists in safety issues that relate to radiotherapy planning and delivery. The incumbent follows the VHA, AAPM, and all other applicable code of ethics policies in order to maintain the highest professionalism md patient care standards. Required safe and efficient use of all radiotherapy devices for external beam radiotherapy. Evaluates and ensures correct and safe operation of radiotherapy equipment through complex problem diagnosis and scheduled quality assurance. Required scientific, clinical, and technical applications of high dose rate and low dose rate brachytherapy treatment simulation, planning, dosimetry, and treatment methods. Required professional, scientific, and technical aspects of shielding methods for external beam radiation delivery systems, radiation survey methods, developing procedures, setting action levels, delivering radiation safety training, developing and documenting competencies, and reporting. This includes regulatory requirements and guidelines for radiation shielding and personnel protection. Exercises independent professional judgment in the performance and evaluation of calibration, acceptance testing, and clinical commissioning procedures for all types of external beam photon and electron beam delivery systems. Evaluates acceptance testing and commissioning results of CT simulators. Required to perform 3-D treatment planning, intensity modulated radiation therapy treatment planning, and stereotactic body radiation therapy planning. This includes clinical process steps and resource requirements for planning and delivery of radiation oncology treatments. Phillips, Sun Nuclear, Standard Imaging, and IBA. The full performance level TMP should recognize any irregularity in the performance parameters of the therapy units. The full performance level TMP should also recognize emergencies during therapy and take prompt measures to rectify them Calculates radioactive decay and the proper disposal of radioactive sources abiding by state and federal regulations. Uses written and verbal communication with technical writing considerations. Collaborates with the members of other disciplines. Required safe an efficient use of all radiotherapy devices for external beam radiotherapy. Determines regulatory requirements, manufacturer's standards, and professional society guidelines for performing quality assurance of radiation therapy equipment to include accelerators, and simulators.

Requirements

Required safe and efficient use of all radiotherapy devices for external beam radiotherapy.
Required scientific, clinical, and technical applications of high dose rate and low dose rate brachytherapy treatment simulation, planning, dosimetry, and treatment methods.
Required professional, scientific, and technical aspects of shielding methods for external beam radiation delivery systems, radiation survey methods, developing procedures, setting action levels, delivering radiation safety training, developing and documenting competencies, and reporting.
Exercises independent professional judgment in the performance and evaluation of calibration, acceptance testing, and clinical commissioning procedures for all types of external beam photon and electron beam delivery systems.
Required to perform 3-D treatment planning, intensity modulated radiation therapy treatment planning, and stereotactic body radiation therapy planning.
Uses written and verbal communication with technical writing considerations.

Responsibilities

plans, delivers, verifies, and monitors quality assurance of radiotherapy
recommending an optimal modality and treatment technique for the patient
evaluating the quality, safety, and accuracy of radiation treatments planned and delivered to patients
safely operating all radiation planning and delivery devices
implements radiation therapy of outstanding technical difficulty and responsibility
plans and directs a specialized program encompassing all physics and clinical aspects of external beam treatment procedures from treatment simulation to treatment planning to the actual treatment delivery
provides technical oversight for the work of entry level TMPs, medical dosimetrists and radiation therapists and oversees Residents in accordance with VHA Handbook 1400.01
oversees radiation therapy treatment planning
designs and approves treatment plans
monitors the accuracy of treatment data recorded in the patient's medical records
provides consultation to the radiation oncologist regarding difficult treatment cases
performs patient-specific treatment validation measurements
develops medical physics policies and procedures for the delivery and quality assessment of advanced treatment modalities such as intensity modulated radiation therapy, and stereotactic body radiation therapy
develops, operates and fully documents the medical physics quality assurance program and ensures regulatory compliance within the Radiation Safety Officer's radiation safety program
educating radiation oncology team members including radiation oncologists, radiation therapists and dosimetrists in safety issues that relate to radiotherapy planning and delivery
Evaluates and ensures correct and safe operation of radiotherapy equipment through complex problem diagnosis and scheduled quality assurance
scientific, clinical, and technical applications of high dose rate and low dose rate brachytherapy treatment simulation, planning, dosimetry, and treatment methods
professional, scientific, and technical aspects of shielding methods for external beam radiation delivery systems, radiation survey methods, developing procedures, setting action levels, delivering radiation safety training, developing and documenting competencies, and reporting
Exercises independent professional judgment in the performance and evaluation of calibration, acceptance testing, and clinical commissioning procedures for all types of external beam photon and electron beam delivery systems
Evaluates acceptance testing and commissioning results of CT simulators
perform 3-D treatment planning, intensity modulated radiation therapy treatment planning, and stereotactic body radiation therapy planning
Calculates radioactive decay and the proper disposal of radioactive sources abiding by state and federal regulations
Uses written and verbal communication with technical writing considerations
Collaborates with the members of other disciplines
Determines regulatory requirements, manufacturer's standards, and professional society guidelines for performing quality assurance of radiation therapy equipment to include accelerators, and simulators