Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE MPH3014

 
TITLE Medical Physics and Radiation Protection Placement 3

 
UM LEVEL 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 6

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Medical Physics

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit gives students the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge to professional practice via hands-on placements and site visits to the various practice settings relevant to Medical Physics and Radiation Protection and to carry out, report on, critically evaluate and reflect on selected MORE ADVANCED procedures and scenarios in each of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Radiation Oncology, Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Protection making possible the acquisition of skills in clinical procedures, quality control, patient dosimetry and risk, occupational and public radiation protection, protocol optimization and technical report writing. The unit will include over a hundred hours of clinical experience mostly in local hospitals and clinics and students will be taught and supervised by the clinical Medical Physicists working in these locations. The use of a reflective diary and eportfolio would enable students to report, critically evaluate and reflect on the different methodologies and scenarios allowing them to gain skills in technical report writing.

Study-unit Aims:

This study-unit aims to:
- Provide opportunities for the students to familiarize themselves with the various clinical sites where Medical Physicists and Radiation Protection Experts practice;
- Provide students with the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge to professional practice via hands-on placements;
- Supervise students in carrying out, reporting on, critically evaluate and reflect on selected MORE ADVANCED level procedures and scenarios in each of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Radiation Oncology, Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Protection allowing them to gain skills in handling equipment, quality control, dosimetry, protocol optimization, risk assessment and technical report writing.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Describe selected MORE ADVANCED Medical Physics and Radiation Protection procedures in diagnostic and interventional radiology, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology and radiation protection;
- Define and explain technical terminology used in the practice setting;
- Explain the purpose and practical implementation of formal systems of work (‘local rules’) with regard to safety in the various specialties of medical physics practice;
- Explain how to care for radiation protection badges;
- Describe their own role and the roles of other healthcare professions in providing modern healthcare services in a multi-disciplinary setting; and
- Explain the importance of building bridges to other healthcare professions for the multidisciplinary team building.

2. Skills (including transferable [generic] skills): By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Conduct selected MORE ADVANCED Medical Physics and Radiation Protection procedures in diagnostic and interventional radiology, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology and radiation protection;
- Apply radiation protection principles to own personal protection;
- Follow formal systems of work (‘local rules’) with regard to safety in the various specialties of medical physics practice;
- Care for radiation protection badges;
- Report, critically evaluate and reflect on the different methodologies and scenarios, allowing them to gain skills in effective and technical report writing through the use of a logbook and the writing up of an eportfolio;
- Organize, plan and manage one’s workload;
- Communicate orally and in writing with both experts in the field and non-experts;
- Work productively in both mono-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary teams;
- Criticise constructively and accept constructive criticism;
- Adapt to new situations;
- Reflect and evaluate one’s own practice and learning;
- Apply research skills and use published evidence to develop and improve the quality of one’s own practice;
- Work within the scope of one’s practice and abilities;
- Seek advice when a task is outside one’s ability;
- Assume responsibility for one’s own actions.

MORE ADVANCED procedures:

Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Dentistry:
- Describe the interventional theatre environment at MDH;
- Apply more advanced clinical image processing techniques to D&IR and Dentistry images;
- Report observed use of a power injector;
- QC a CT scanner and imaging monitor;
- Conduct basic instrument cross calibration;
- Calculate DRLs for an interventional procedure;
- Prepare a patient risk assessment;
- Estimate body dose for an individual patient in interventional radiology procedure;
- Assessment of shielding through calculation and verification;
- Critical examination checklist;
- Carry out an occupational risk assessment for both for ionising and non-ionising radiations;
- Report an observed D&IR and Dentistry optimization study.

Radiation Oncology:
- Apply a TPS for more advanced planning procedures;
- Report observed intermediate plan verification;
- Report observed preparation of a patient mould;
- More advanced QC of radiotherapy CT, superficial x-ray unit, linear accelerator and XVI;
- Prepare a patient risk assessment;
- Report on observed patient dose measurements;
- Assess shielding in RO through shielding calculations;
- Report an observed risk assessment;
- Report on observed handling of sealed sources; and
- Report an observed RO optimization study.

Nuclear Medicine:
- Apply more advanced clinical image processing techniques to NM images;
- Report observed use of an elution generator;
- Perform QC on a PET scanner;
- Report observed QC procedures in the radiopharmacy;
- Calculate patient specific therapeutic doses;
- Prepare a patient risk assessment;
- Assess structural shielding through shielding calculations;
- Report on observed waste management procedures in the clinical environment; and
- Report an observed NM optimization study.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main
- IAEA. (2005). Radiation Oncology Physics - A Handbook for Teachers and Students.
- IAEA. (2014). Diagnostic Radiology Physics - A Handbook for Teachers and Students.
- IAEA. (2014). Nuclear Medicine Physics - A Handbook for Teachers and Students.
- Brown, B. H., Smallwood, R. H. et al. (1998). Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering. IoP Publishing.
- Martin, A., Harbison S., Beach,K., et al. (2018). An Introduction to Radiation Protection. CRC.
- IAEA. (2009). Clinical Training of Medical Physicists Specializing in Radiation Oncology. Training Course Series 37.
- IAEA. (2010). Clinical Training of Medical Physicists Specializing in Diagnostic Radiology. Training Course Series 47.
- IAEA. (2011). Clinical Training of Medical Physicists Specializing in Nuclear Medicine. Training Course Series 50.
- Emerald-Emit Project. (2003). Project website: http://emerald2.eu/cd/Emerald2/

Supplementary
- Knoll, G. F. (2010). Radiation Detection and Measurement. Wiley.
- Del Guerra, A. (2004). Ionizing Radiation Detectors for Medical Imaging. World Scientific.
- Wood, A. W. & Karipidis K. (Ed). (2017). Non-ionizing Radiation Protection: Summary of Research and Policy Options. Wiley.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Placement and Independent Study

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Reflective Diary SEM2 Yes 40%
Portfolio SEM2 Yes 60%

 
LECTURER/S

 

 
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It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

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