Medical Physicist (UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery Center

Medical Physicist (UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery Center)

Provide medical physics clinical services to patient treatment using standard and advanced treatment techniques, perform treatment machine quality assurance including acceptance testing and commissioning, perform treatment planning, approve and implement technical procedures prior to clinical use, perform quality assurance for patient record dosimetric information, involvement in informatics development and direction. The opportunity exists for a limited participation in educational activities, if these activities are compatible with the primary responsibilities of clinical service and program development.

If applicable, responsible for the design, execution, and effectiveness of a system of internal controls, which provides reasonable assurance that department operations are effective and efficient, department assets are safeguarded, departmental financial information is reliable, and the department complies with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.

• Interacts with oncologists, dosimetrists and other physicists to provide treatment planning and dosimetry calculations. These duties require the ability to input data into a computer using a keyboard, digitizer tablet, and other digital data transfer technologies and verify the correctness of the input data. The physicist must then manipulate the data manually, produce a treatment plan, and assure its accuracy.
• Calibration of dose meters (including dosimetric inter-comparisons for QA) and radiation equipment (accelerator monitor unit calibration) Beam data acquisition for treatment planning.
• Calibrates and performs quality assurance on radiotherapeutic equipment, HDR and LDR as well as external beam. The performance of these tasks frequently requires accurate positioning of phantoms of up to 30 pounds on treatment tables at heights above the floor of 54 inches.
• Interacts with medical dosimetrists or other medical physicists. This requires the ability to communicate effectively.
• Provides patient consultations to physicians, technologists, physicists, and dosimetrists. This task involves the possibility of meeting the patient, observing the clinical conditions and suggesting treatment techniques.
• Works with radioactive sources to manually load or machine load brachytherapy applicators. This task requires good eyesight as well as good hand/eye coordination.
• Plans, supervises and/or performs fabrication of custom shielding, compensating filters, wedges, and other beam modifying devices. These duties require manual dexterity, visual verification and occasional lifting of up to 30 pounds.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

General supervision from assigned supervisor.

Direct supervision of assigned staff.

M.S. or Ph.D. in Physics or Medical Physics (board certified) from an accredited University.

Completion of two-year medical physics residency program in radiation oncology.

• Certified in Therapeutic Radiological physics by the American Board of Radiology or in radiation oncology physics by the American Board of Medical Physics.
• Licensed in Texas or eligible for licensure or temporary licensure by the Texas Board of Licensure for Professional Medical Physicists, as this position may provide peer review for procedures performed in the State of Texas.

Two (2) years clinical experience as a medical physicist.

Experience with High Dose Rate (HDR) and Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) programs.

• Proficient in planning VMAT, IMRT, SBRT, and 3D plans.

Needs to be able to successfully perform all required duties. Office/Healthcare environment; some travel and weekend work is required. UTRGV is a distributed institution, which requires presence at multiple locations throughout the Rio Grande Valley. Position may also involve some exposure to radiation and high voltage environments.

• At the professional staff level, knowledge infers an understanding of the fundamental principles of an instrument or technique, as well as the clinical utilization of that technology. This includes, but is not limited to the following areas, as they relate to specific job responsibilities:
  • Knowledge of charged particle and non-charged particle radiation transport, particularly as related to dosimetry protocols, shielding design, and computer dose algorithms.
  • Knowledge of treatment planning computers, both software and hardware, linear accelerators, including MLC's, and imaging devices. Knowledge of treatment planning, simulation, and treatment techniques.
  • Knowledge of general electronics, radiation monitors, dosimetry equipment (particularly ionization chambers, film, and thermo- or optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters), and automatic data acquisition systems.
  • Knowledge of quality assurance of radiotherapy equipment.
  • Knowledge of radioactive sources…