Dosimetry II Syllabus for 2015-2016
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Instructor Information

Course Information

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Course

RADT-2309-001 Dosimetry II

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: Advanced standing in the program or instructor consent

Course Description

A continuation of Dosimetry I: the principles, aims and techniques of applying ionizing radiation to the human body are presented in this course. Topics include discussion of applications of radiotherapy equipment with emphasis on treatment planning and dose calculations.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

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Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

\ Principles and Practices of Radation Therapy (most recent edition.) Leaver and Washington;

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\ Study Guide (compiled by Tackitt)

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\ Radiation Therapy Study Guide and Exam Review-Levy

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\ TABER'S MEDICAL DICTIONARY or other approved Medical dictionary

Supplies

\ Scantrons for exams, texts, calculator, writing instrument

Student Performance

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\ COURSE DESCRIPTION:

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\ The principles, aims and techniques of applying ionizing radiation to the human body. Topics include applications of radiotherapy equipment, with emphasis on treatment planning and dose calculations. The physical aspects and properties of ionizing radiations are discussed.

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\ COURSE GOALS:

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\ To assist in providing the student with the understanding and skills required of an entry-level radiation therapist in the areas of treatment planning, treatment procedures, brachytherapy, radiation protection, the physical principles and characteristics of radiation and the equipment used to deliver therapeutic radiation treatments. The student will also become more familiar with the background and history of the field of radiation therapy.

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\ COURSE OBJECTIVES:

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• \ After studying the material presented in this course, the student will be able to do the following with a minimum 80% total accuracy as evaluated by the program faculty:
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• \ Discuss and differentiate between the various machines used for the implementation of radiation therapy treatment.
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• \ Develop and understanding of computer usage in the field
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• \ Demonstrate an understanding of dose measurement equipment and dose measurement techniques
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• \ Demonstrate an understanding of acquiring treatment planning data
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• \ Accomplish treatment planning techniques for a variety of sites, including field shaping, simulation procedures, scatter analysis and isodose distribution patterns, corrections for oblique incidence and tissue inhomogeneities, and dosimetric calculation
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• \ Demonstrate a working knowledge of hyperthermia, SRS, intra-operative, and other modern techniques.
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• \ Demonstrate an understanding of general treatment procedures
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• \ Be familiar with brachytherapy techniques used in radiation therapy
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• \ Demonstrate an understanding of mathematical formulas used in radiation therapy
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• \ Be familiar with radiation protection principles in the field
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• \ Have a basic understanding of the principles of operation of radiotherapy treatment units
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• \ Have a basic understanding of the history and development of radiation therapy
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• \ Have a basic understanding of matter on an atomic level, the production of various radiations, and the interaction of those radiations in tissue
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• \ Demonstrate an understanding of sub-atomic physics
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• \ Demonstrate an understanding of basic electron therapy physics and techniques
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Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

\ See Attendance policy.

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\ Also see Amarillo Colllege students rights and responsibility document

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\ In addition: turn off cell phones unless granted permission from instructor. If so, set in silent mode and if you get a call, please exit the room before answering and talking on the phone.

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\ Inappropriate behavior that is disruptive to the learning experience for the class will not be tolerated.

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\ COURSE ETHICS

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\ Radiation Therapy courses

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\ Each student will be required to prepare written assignments for credit, and take written examinations typically as a routine part of each course. As such, students should be fully aware of the instructor's policies relative to the ethics regarding copying the work of others and any unethical act that may occur during a quiz or examination or other assignment.

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\ PLAGIARISM is the theft of another person's work or thinking. Words, as well as ideas, or intellectual property and can be stolen from another person as easily as money or some other item. As such, plagiarism can be a violation of the law, and is certainly a violation of ethics. Even in those cases where the law may not be violated, plagiarism is unethical and does the wrong thing to do and can carry severe consequences for the perpetrator.

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\ In a college credit course, it is considered plagiarism to copy the work of another student, even with the permission of that student, since the copied work violates course ethics. Under the circumstances associated with a course assignment for credit, a student would also need the permission of the course instructor before it is considered ethical to copy the work of a peer. Obviously, that permission is not likely to be given, for it totally defeats the purpose of the assignment, which is to measure or demonstrate the knowledge and ability of the student -- not the ability of someone else. Stated another way, and these courses, a student WILL NOT COPY ANOTHER STUDENTS WORK on any assignment for credit!

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\ Likewise, unethical conduct during a quiz or examination is also the wrong thing to do. For a student pursuing a career in a health occupation, test dishonesty can be seen as a reliable predictor of unacceptable job performance following graduation. This instructor takes the position that the dishonest student is probably also unethical in other ways and is a threat to the safety of any patient who comes in contact with that student. Employers likely take a similar position. The healthcare industry cannot tolerate such conduct.

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\ At Amarillo college, there are grave academic penalties for any unethical conduct on the part of any student. The policy and penalty for such conduct is provided in the General Catalog as follows:

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\ "A high standard of conduct is expected of all students. It is assumed that obedience to the law, respect for properly constituted authority, personal honor, integrity and common sense will guide the actions of each member of the college community both in and out of the classroom. Any student who fails to perform according to expected standards may be disciplined."

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\ It should be concluded from this statement that unethical course conduct is absolutely prohibited by Amarillo College policy. To be more specific, in radiation therapy courses, plagiarism, dishonesty, or any other unethical course conduct, is reason for a final course grade of "F" regardless of other grades earned in the course.

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\ This ethics policy is STRICTLY enforced, with ZERO tolerance, for ALL RADT courses! A student should not risk his or her final grade in his course, and any future enrollment privileges at Amarillo College, as the result of an unethical act related to a course assignment or examination. If in doubt about a particular assignment or testing practice, contact the course instructor FIRST!

Grading Criteria

 

Attendance

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\ Regular and punctual attendance at all lectures is expected of all students.

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\ Each student will be permitted to accumulate[2] total absences during the course after which a7% course grade reduction will be enforced for each subsequent absence. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the instructor and will be handled on an individual basis and will be the exception rather than the rule.

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\ Tardiness should be avoided. The student must be in the classroom in their seat at the beginning of class in order not to be considered tardy. Being tardy[2] times will constitute one absence.

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\ Arrangements to make up any missed homework, quizzes or exams must be made within one school day of the original due time or the result will be a grade of ZERO.  Any missed scored activity may be made up for maximum 80% of the original score (88% on exams) provided that arrangements for the make up are made within one school day of the original deadline.    Tardiness should be avoided. Any student that arrives in class after a quiz/exam has been handed out will receive a 20% grade reduction for that scored activity (5% on exams).  Time extensions for make-ups will be the exception rather than the rule and will be handled on an individual basis. If the student is more than 10 minutes late (3 minutes for quiz), the student will have to schedule and take a make-up exam, and the general make-up grade penalty will be enforced.

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\ If a student leaves class early, the quiz/exam/homework grade reduction will be enforced for that day or the subsequent class period (this includes grades on any classes that occur back to back; e.g. Dosimetry and Oncology in Fall 2^nd year). Exemptions from the grade penalty will be the exception and not the rule.

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\ It is the sole responsibility of the student who has been absent to arrange with the instructor to make up any missed work. When the student returns to class after an absence, the student will be expected to fully participate in any class activities- including quizzes or exams.

Calendar

Additional Information

 

The following is a list of texts resources available for temporary “checkout” from the Program Director:

• The Physics of Radiation Therapy—3^rd Ed.  Khan
• Principles and Practices of Radiation Therapy—3^rd Ed.  Washington & Leaver
• American Cancer Society Textbook of Clinical Education—various editions
• Fundamentals of Sectional Anatomy—Lazo
• Tabors Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary-- various editions
• Technological Basis of Radiation Therapy—Levitt and Tapley 2^nd Ed.
• Ethical and Legal Issues for Imaging Professionals—Towsley-Cook, Young, 2^nd Ed.
• Medicolegal Issues for Radiographers—Parelli, 3^rd Ed.
• Patient Care in Radiography—Elrich, Daly 7^th Ed.
• Radiation Therapy Planning—Bentel, 2^nd Ed.
• Supportive Care in Radiotherapy—Faithfull, Wells

Also, Make use of the AC online library, at http://www.actx.edu/library/index.php

You’ll need your college ID# and login (this same you use to register each semester)

IMPORTANT NOTE: IF AN RADT CLASS IS REPEATED FOR ANY REASON, THE STUDENT REPEATING THE CLASS WILL TAKE ALL QUIZZES AND SECTION EXAMS (but no homework or other assignments), AND THE FINAL EXAM. THE ONLY GRADE THAT WILL COUNT TOWARDS THE OVERALL REPEAT COURSE GRADE IS THE GRADE EARNED ON THE FINAL EXAM! AGAIN, WHILE THE STUDENT WILL TAKE QUIZZES AND SECTION EXAMS, AS THOSE WILL HELP PREPARE THE STUDENT FOR THE FINAL EXAM, THE ONLY GRADE THAT WILL COUNT TOWARDS TEH OVERALL GRADE IS THE FINAL EXAM GRADE!