DOS 542: Quality Assurance
Course Description
The importance and methods of quality assurance procedures within radiation oncology treatment planning, equipment, and processes were covered and in the timely manners in which they should be performed.
Assessment
Students were guided by lectures, reading materials such as AAPM Reports and Task Groups, and discussion prompts. Learning was assessed with weekly quizzes on the topics covered during that week. Students were also asked to create a QA table with standard QA data in all of the areas of radiation oncology by guidance of Task Group reports and lectures. Each week as a new QA process was covered students added to their table until all areas were covered and the table was complete. You can find a copy of my table below.
Quality Assurance Tolerance Table
Course Description
The importance and methods of quality assurance procedures within radiation oncology treatment planning, equipment, and processes were covered and in the timely manners in which they should be performed.
Assessment
Students were guided by lectures, reading materials such as AAPM Reports and Task Groups, and discussion prompts. Learning was assessed with weekly quizzes on the topics covered during that week. Students were also asked to create a QA table with standard QA data in all of the areas of radiation oncology by guidance of Task Group reports and lectures. Each week as a new QA process was covered students added to their table until all areas were covered and the table was complete. You can find a copy of my table below.
Quality Assurance Tolerance Table
Course Discussions
Each week a thought-provoking discussion prompt relating to lecture material was presented. Students used Task Group reports and site-specific QA processes to elaborate on how their facilities conduct their QA. Then students were able to converse with each other and learn from other facilities QA processes. Below are my discussion posts.
Week 1-2: Daily Linac QA
Week 3: IGRT QA
Week 4: TPS QA
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 were a more in depth understanding of the monthly QA processes and everything that goes into ensuring that all of our equipment is working properly.
The new knowledge and skills will benefit me by being familiar with all of these processes so that if in life I end up at an organization where the dosimetrists are responsible for any of these QA procedures, I will not feel overwhelmed by the responsibility for I will have an understanding of what is expected of me.
I struggle with keeping all of the tolerances straight. Between daily, monthly, and annually they can differ and then if they are non-IMRT, IMRT, or SRS/SBRT they can differ. I have tried to lay them out in ways that make sense to me so I can better remember them.
I feel pretty good about the overall QA concept. What it means and how to perform them. If I had to go and explain the process to someone I feel comfortable about it.
Other reflective thoughts. Having the opportunity to study at a large facility such as Orlando Health’s UF Health Cancer Center that has a wide variety of machine brands and styles, it is nice to be able to
Each week a thought-provoking discussion prompt relating to lecture material was presented. Students used Task Group reports and site-specific QA processes to elaborate on how their facilities conduct their QA. Then students were able to converse with each other and learn from other facilities QA processes. Below are my discussion posts.
Week 1-2: Daily Linac QA
Week 3: IGRT QA
Week 4: TPS QA
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 were a more in depth understanding of the monthly QA processes and everything that goes into ensuring that all of our equipment is working properly.
The new knowledge and skills will benefit me by being familiar with all of these processes so that if in life I end up at an organization where the dosimetrists are responsible for any of these QA procedures, I will not feel overwhelmed by the responsibility for I will have an understanding of what is expected of me.
I struggle with keeping all of the tolerances straight. Between daily, monthly, and annually they can differ and then if they are non-IMRT, IMRT, or SRS/SBRT they can differ. I have tried to lay them out in ways that make sense to me so I can better remember them.
I feel pretty good about the overall QA concept. What it means and how to perform them. If I had to go and explain the process to someone I feel comfortable about it.
Other reflective thoughts. Having the opportunity to study at a large facility such as Orlando Health’s UF Health Cancer Center that has a wide variety of machine brands and styles, it is nice to be able to