DOS 741: Protocol & Studies in Radiation Oncology
Course description
This course covered a broad overview of cancer clinical trials including improving cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. The advantages and disadvantages of clinical trials or patients, health care providers and the general population were discussed to understand the overall effect of the clinical trial on all of those lives it will impact. Lastly, the role of the medical dosimetrist in the clinical trial process.
Assessment
Students were guided each week by lectures, reading materials, and discussion prompts. Discussions allowed students to reflect on a topic and post their well-informed response to a discussion board and then converse with classmates in order to learn from one another.
There was also a course project assigned. This entailed choosing a protocol and present the specific details regarding medical dosimetrists role in the protocol. This project allowed students to take an in depth look into the many layers of the protocol from participant selection though the treatment planning protocol.
RTOG 3510: Pragmatic Phase III Randomized Trial of Photon vs. Proton Therapy for Non-Metastatic Breast Cancer with Comprehensive Nodal Radiation
Feel free to click the link above and view my presentation
Course Discussions
Each week a thought-provoking discussion prompt was presented relating to the current weeks lectures. These prompts required students to do additional research to write a well written, informed response to be placed on the discussion board and to contribute to other classmates responses.
Week 1: Guinea Pigs
Week 2: Lack of Participation
Week 3: Barriers
Self-reflection
At the end of each course students are asked to self-reflect on the knowledge gained throughout the course and how it will better them as medical dosimetrists.
The new knowledge and skills I gained during this course was an overall better understanding of the protocol process. How patients can enter into them, how they determine who is an acceptable participant, and the pros and cons of protocols.
The new knowledge and skills will benefit me by having this better understanding of protocols so that if I come across a protocol patient as a dosimetrist I will know how important it is that I stick to the guidelines given to me. If I do not follow what is required I may jeopardize the patient’s acceptability into the trial.
I struggle with the fact that there is no monetary help from study sponsors for patients. The only thing throughout this course that I found disturbing was that if a patient’s insurance did not cover the trial therapy it was often that the patient had to self-pay.
I feel pretty good about the overall concept of protocols. How they function, how to enroll and how they are a benefit for the field of radiation oncology.
Other reflective thoughts. This course not only made me think about the benefits of clinical trials but also the drawbacks of why medical professionals may not want to participate due to all of the legal responsibilities, paper work needed, and time and effort required. It is a benefits-to-risk ratio for physicians to asses before they decide to take part in a trial.
Course description
This course covered a broad overview of cancer clinical trials including improving cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. The advantages and disadvantages of clinical trials or patients, health care providers and the general population were discussed to understand the overall effect of the clinical trial on all of those lives it will impact. Lastly, the role of the medical dosimetrist in the clinical trial process.
Assessment
Students were guided each week by lectures, reading materials, and discussion prompts. Discussions allowed students to reflect on a topic and post their well-informed response to a discussion board and then converse with classmates in order to learn from one another.
There was also a course project assigned. This entailed choosing a protocol and present the specific details regarding medical dosimetrists role in the protocol. This project allowed students to take an in depth look into the many layers of the protocol from participant selection though the treatment planning protocol.
RTOG 3510: Pragmatic Phase III Randomized Trial of Photon vs. Proton Therapy for Non-Metastatic Breast Cancer with Comprehensive Nodal Radiation
Feel free to click the link above and view my presentation
Course Discussions
Each week a thought-provoking discussion prompt was presented relating to the current weeks lectures. These prompts required students to do additional research to write a well written, informed response to be placed on the discussion board and to contribute to other classmates responses.
Week 1: Guinea Pigs
Week 2: Lack of Participation
Week 3: Barriers
Self-reflection
At the end of each course students are asked to self-reflect on the knowledge gained throughout the course and how it will better them as medical dosimetrists.
The new knowledge and skills I gained during this course was an overall better understanding of the protocol process. How patients can enter into them, how they determine who is an acceptable participant, and the pros and cons of protocols.
The new knowledge and skills will benefit me by having this better understanding of protocols so that if I come across a protocol patient as a dosimetrist I will know how important it is that I stick to the guidelines given to me. If I do not follow what is required I may jeopardize the patient’s acceptability into the trial.
I struggle with the fact that there is no monetary help from study sponsors for patients. The only thing throughout this course that I found disturbing was that if a patient’s insurance did not cover the trial therapy it was often that the patient had to self-pay.
I feel pretty good about the overall concept of protocols. How they function, how to enroll and how they are a benefit for the field of radiation oncology.
Other reflective thoughts. This course not only made me think about the benefits of clinical trials but also the drawbacks of why medical professionals may not want to participate due to all of the legal responsibilities, paper work needed, and time and effort required. It is a benefits-to-risk ratio for physicians to asses before they decide to take part in a trial.