Newsletter of the University of Cincinnati’s
Graduate Program in
Medical Physics
(Radiological Sciences)
College of Medicine
Department of Radiation Oncology
May 2008
Medical Physics program accomplishments 2007-08+ Master of science degree granted to six students+ Three student poster presentations accepted for AAPM summer meeting+ One student project accepted as a platform presentation+ One student project published in a recent issue of Medical Physics.
Letter from the Director
Howard R. Elson, Ph.D.The University of Cincinnati’s graduate program in Medical Physics (Radiological Sciences) has recently prepared an application for CAMPEP accreditation. As part of the documentation, we were required to list the program graduates for the last 10 years. Having accomplished that, we aim to reconstruct the entire alumni listing, including the Ph.D. graduates in affiliated programs and the alumni of post-doc positions.
You will find our attempt at the complete listing attached. I would ask you to do the following:
1) review the list and confirm, alter, or amend your contact information.
2) if you know of any missing individuals or can provide contact details, please notify us.
The faculty hopes to promote interactions between the program’s enrolled students and its alumni, and to that end, this is the program’s first “newsletter.”
The program is proud to announce that CAMPEP accreditation documentation is in the hands of the reviewer, and we are awaiting notification of the progress of the review. We expect further communication after the summer meeting and prior to the RSNA meeting in November 2008.
The program is thriving and growing. The medical physics graduate program faculty consists of:
- Hsu-Hsuan (Irene) Chen, Ph.D., imaging physics
- Howard R. Elson, Ph.D., therapy physics
- Michael Lamba, Ph.D., therapy physics
- Lisa Lemen, Ph.D., imaging physics
- William Kassing, Ph.D., radiation biology and therapy physics.
Further, the students are privileged to gain clinical training from staff of The University Hospital & Precision Radiotherapy:
- Michael Davis, MS, therapy physics
- Nitin Kumar, MS, therapy physics
- David Roesener, MS, therapy physics
- Ranasinghage Samaratunga, Ph.D., imaging physics
- Arthur Morton, MS, radiation safety
- Brian McGill, MS, therapy physics.
Administrative support for the program is furnished by Staff Assistants, Mary Kay Rehard and Lydia Wocher. Email the program office by clicking here.
Professional placement following graduation is an ongoing challenge. At the present time, three of our recent program graduates are still seeking professional employment in the field. If you know of potential positions, I would be happy to share information about these promising students.
Likewise, alumni are encouraged to assist the program in recruiting new students. Looking to the future, the program has accepted five students to matriculate in the fall of 08, has six continuing students in the master’s degree program, and three continuing students in the medical physics option of nuclear engineering’s doctoral program.
At the AAPM meeting in Houston, a great deal of emphasis will be placed on the history of the organization. If you have appropriate historical photographs, please forward digital images to Michael Lamba.
Speaking of the meeting in Houston, would you like to hold a “get-together” for UC program alumni? Please find attached a brief questionnaire that will facilitate arrangements for such an event. You may return the questionnaire below (and any missing information for the alumni directory) by post, or respond by email at the address noted on the slip. Obviously, time is very limited in planning such an event, so a prompt response is requested to ensure a good turn-out at the Houston Meeting. Thank you for any and all assistance with the Houston meeting and future support of the UC Medical Physics alumni activities!
--Howard R. Elson, Ph.D., Director of Graduate Studies
Focus on 2008 Program Graduates
Titles of 2008 student projects are listed below. Here we feature some of the graduates in their own words, with highlights from their studies at UC and future plans.
Brian Bennett
After two years at the University of Cincinnati, I can look back and confidently say I am proud to be a UC alumnus. Medical Physics is becoming popular, with the rise in radiation oncology centers. A full year of didactic lecture sets the foundation for the medical physicist. The second year consists of formalized rotations with clinical medical physicists provides the hands-on training component that many programs do not have. Along with rotations, the graduate students are actively involved in a master’s project which promotes research and publication. Other skills, such as treatment planning and calibration, are strongly infused, as they help make us better physicists. Degrees are only awarded once each student has proven him or herself academically and clinically.
But it is not just for these reasons that I feel confident about UC’s Medical Physics program. The department is home to some of the most knowledgeable and helpful faculty I have ever seen. The faculty strive to create rich learning environments that promote teamwork and, most importantly, patient care. If I have learned anything, I have learned how important proper patient care is and my responsibility as a medical physicist to provide it.
Upon obtaining a position as a junior physicist, I hope to gain the experience necessary to become board certified. I hope I am able to be part of team that provides excellent patient care, perhaps becoming a chief physicist one day.
Vivek Jeevan
I have loved my experience of studying Medical Physics at UC. I truly believe this is one of the best programs in the nation. Three outstanding features make me feel this way:
1. Extensive hands-on, diverse, direct clinical experience. This is exactly what employers are looking for and is key to landing that first job.
2. The radiation oncology staff and department are extremely cohesive, supporting, and nurturing. I feel free to go to any medical physicist, dosimetrist, radiation therapist, or physician, and know that they will answer all my questions and then teach me more.
3. The professors are amazing. I am learning from great men and women in this field who possess the gift of teaching.
This program has given me a strong foundation that will serve me well. Three months before graduation I found a position at a cancer center with Good Samaritan Health Services in Corvallis, Oregon. I look forward to beginning a new and promising career there.
Nate Schneider
I liked the solid course load and teaching quality of the program. I have cherished the opportunity to work and have an office in the Barrett Cancer Center. Finally, the people—therapists, dosimetrists, staff, professors, residents, attending physicians—are all so nice and willing to help out.
Once I graduate I plan on traveling through seven countries in the Middle East before starting my career. I am interested in obtaining a doctorate in Medical Physics. I look forward to the day I am closely involved in patient treatments, and am reminded of the quotation: “A healthy man has a million wishes; a sick man has only one.”
Rich Seier
I really liked UC’s Medical Physics program. I gained excellent clinical experience, had great professors that truly loved to teach medical physics, and had a lot of fun going to UC football and basketball games. My future plans are to continue to be a medical physicist and become board certified as soon as possible.
Recent Presentations
UC Abstracts Accepted for 2008 AAPM Meeting
July 27-31, Houston TX
Radiation dose to the female breast in 64-slice computed tomography
L Lemen1 *, M Lamba1 , H Chen1 , C Alsip2 , R Samaratunga1 , M Mahoney1 , (1) University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, (2) Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH,
Moderated Poster Discussion Session
A quantitative evaluation of the effect of CT scanning parameters on CT number to density calibration and dose calculations
S Refaei1 *, M Lamba2 , H Elson3 , (1) University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, AF, (2) University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, (3) University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
General Poster Discussion Session
Photon energy spectrum prediction of a medical linear accelerator using scatter radiation analysis
M Hawwari *, M Lamba, H Spitz, H Elson, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
General Poster Discussion Session
Comparison of mapcheck and EDR2 film for IMRT QA
TT Takele*, M Lamba, H Elson, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
General Poster Discussion Session
Comparative analysis of peripheral doses for base of tongue treatment by linear accelerator and helical tomotherapy IMRT
B Bennett*, M Lamba, H Elson, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Oral Presentation
Organ and effective dose in pediatric patient in 64-slice computed tomography
H Chen1 *, M Lamba1 , C Alsip2 , L Lemen1 , (1) University of Cincinnati, cincinnati, OH, (2) Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, CINCINNATI, OH
General Poster Discussion Session
Recent Publications
In addition, one of last year’s abstracts was recently published as a full article in Medical Physics:
Respiratory motion effects on whole breast helical tomotherapy
Steven R. Moeckly, Michael Lamba, and Howard R. Elson
Med. Phys. 35(4), 1464-1475, April 2008
UC faculty and students submitted the following abstracts to the 2007 American Association of Physicists in Medicine, held in Minneapolis, MN, last July:
Characterization of respiratory motion of the breast
M Lamba *, R Lavigne
Evaluation of different simulation and dosimetry techniques in smallfield relative measurements
Y Feng*, M Lamba, H Elson, W Kassing, H Spitz
A Monte Carlo simulation and deconvolution study of detector responsefunction
Y Feng*, M Lamba, H Elson, W Kassing, H Spitz
Dosimetry of small pulmonary nodules: a comparison between treatmentplanning calculations and in-phantom measurements
J Ott*, M Lamba, H Elson
* denotes principal investigator
Ride Cincinnati
The Barrett Cancer Center’s Radiation Oncology staff is participating in this year’s Ride Cincinnati fundraising event, under the leadership of medical physics student, Vivek Jeevan. A resolute cycling commuter, Viv often arrives in his bicycle helmet. He is using his bicycling know-how and his commitment to cancer education and treatment to assemble the Barrett Center’s “Accelerators,” a volunteer team of staff cyclists.
Ride Cincinnati, held for the first time in 2007, is the first cycling event to raise funds for breast cancer research in the Greater Cincinnati area. It is a non-competitive ride open to participants at all levels of skill. Ride Cincinnati was founded by Dr. Harvey Harris, Ronald Stern, and Craig Cowit, three Cincinnatians whose families have been touched by breast cancer. This event is dedicated to the life of Marlene Harris and all others who have, and continue to be, affected by this terrible disease.
Breast Cancer Research
All proceeds from Ride Cincinnati benefit the Barrett Cancer Center at the University of Cincinnati. The mission of the Barrett Cancer Center is to transform cancer care in our region by providing the most advanced and compassionate patient care built on a foundation of innovative research and education. They are working to become the preeminent cancer care resource delivering the highest quality patient and family-centered care in a collaborative environment with an emphasis on education and community outreach.
Founder Harvey Harris
When Cincinnatian Marlene Harris, 63, died of breast cancer in 2005, she left behind three children, four grandchildren and a request for her husband, Harvey: Help fund a cure for the devastating disease.
Harvey had plenty of reasons to honor his wife’s wish. After all, the 65-year-old dentist had also watched his daughter, Allison Harris-Gordon, 37, successfully endure two bouts with breast cancer. Not to mention, the wives of his two best friends are both survivors.
“Cancer is horrific, a terrible disease,” says Harvey. “We have to find a cure for this — and we will one day.” Thanks to his efforts, that day may come a little bit sooner.
In June 2007, Harvey launched the first annual Ride Cincinnati, a noncompetitive, day-long bicycle trek to raise money for breast cancer research. The event drew nearly 1,000 participants of all skill levels, eager to traverse four rides of varying lengths, as well as enjoy a wealth of family-friendly entertainment that included clowns, inflatable rides, live music and a mile-long jaunt for children across the Purple People Bridge (which connects Ohio and Kentucky).
Pedaling along right next to all the participants were Harvey, an avid cyclist, and the two best friends who’d also been touched by breast cancer, Ron Stern and Craig Cowit — both of whom helped plan the event…. The final tally: $132,000, all of which went to the University of Cincinnati’s Barrett Cancer Center.
“It just turned out to be above and beyond…all [our] expectations,” he says.
The success has motivated Harvey to raise $200,000 for the 2008 Ride Cincinnati — an impressive goal for an event that will only be in its second year.
To learn more, visit http://www.ridecincinnati.org/
Welcome Incoming Students!
2008-09
James Armstrong
Ewa Beach, Hawaii
B.S. Physics
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Andy Bergan
Portland, Maine
B.S. Physics and Computer Science
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Tenia Fountain
Atlanta, Georgia
B.S. Physics
Tuskegee University
Chris Gerrein
Fort Thomas, Kentucky
BA Physics and Mathematics
Northern Kentucky University
Katherine Magat
Carlsbad, California
BS Physics and Biophysics
University of California San Diego
Congratulations Graduates!
Student Projects
2007-08
Brian Bennett: Analysis of peripheral doses for base of tongue treatment by linear accelerator and helical tomotherapy IMRT
Vivek Jeevan: Effect of rectum diameter on inter-fraction prostate motion as determined by tomotherapy’s daily image-guided CT
Suleiman Refaei: A quantitative evaluation of the effect of CT number to density calibration and CT scanning parameters on TPS dose calculations
Nate Schneider: Dosimetry of whole craniospinal axis (CSA) irradiation: a comparison of conventional and helical tomotherapy hi-art based treatment plans
Rich Seier: A study of the sensitivity of exit beam dosimetry to variations in patient position & thickness
Tsegaye Takele: Comparison of Mapcheck and EDR2 film for IMRT QA
Admissions
Spread the News about UC Medical Physics
Please pass on this newsletter to a colleague or prospective student. For more information about the program, contact the Director of Graduate Studies:
Howard R. Elson, Ph.D.
Director of Graduate Studies in Medical Physics
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Radiation Oncology
234 Goodman Ave., ML 0757
Cincinnati, OH 45267-0757
Email: ucmedphys - at - gmail.com
Phone: (513) 584-9092
Fax: (513) 584-4007
Applications are now being accepted for 2009.
To apply, visit: http://www.grad.uc.edu/
“Lost” Alumni
Please help us “find” your fellow alumni & colleagues by providing any contact information you may have:
Dennis Allen
Mark Brauning, M.D.
G. Burns
Warren Craig
Gregory Dubuque
Huaying Fan
Yuntao Feng
Richard Hubiak
Michael Hurpen
Sunil Kulatung
John Martino
Prabaker Modur
Thomas Padikal
Philip Rummerfeld
John Schaeflein
William Shields
Yoseph Shiferaw
Parvaneh Shokrani
Jeffrey Siegel
Guy Simmons
Frances Stillwell
Srinath Sundararaman, M.D.
Kristin Swenson
Joseph Tonweber
Takatoshi Yoshizumu
Jie Zheng
Yang Zhu
UC Alumni “Get-Together” at the AAPM Meeting
Houston, Texas
July 27-31, 2008
The gathering was a great success with nearly 30 faculty & alumni in attendance at a restaurant near the convention center.
UC Alumni Directory
____ Yes, please include my contact details in the new UC Medical Physics Alumni Directory.
____ No, please do not include my contact details in the new UC Medical Physics Alumni Directory.
Kindly send any changes for your own listing, or additional information on “lost” alumni you know. Send to the postal address below, or email your responses.
Graduate Program in Medical Physics
Radiation Oncology Department
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
234 Goodman Ave., ML 0757
Cincinnati, OH 45267-0757
Thank you for your kind assistance!
