Academic Courses > DOS 773
DOS 773 - Clinical Practicum III
Course Description
This class is an extension of DOS 771 and DOS 772 - Clinical Practicum I & II. This class series is the didactic tracking mechanism for our 30 hours per week of hands-on training in the clinic. By making hands-on training a core part of the educational program, we will graduate with hundreds of hours of real-world practical experience in addition to the theory components taught in our didactic classes.
Assessment
Grading for this class was a combination of performance feedback from clinical supervisors, clinical competency development, and a case study. Previous case studies were guided into specific topics or themes, but this semester's topic was self-directed. We were told to think of a planning technique that we wanted to know more about, and then plan a mock case or real case using that technique. I had not been able to plan a craniospinal irradiation case yet, and the complexity of the field matching and match line feathering seemed like an interesting challenge. The report of my case study can be found on the Clinical Achievements page.
Clinical Achievements
Since this class was primarily hands-on rather than formally didactic, progress is tracked and measured by a range of Clinical Achievements.
Service
Hands-on learning also includes lessons on how to engage with the rest of the world on more than a conceptual level. Part of this section of our personal development is accomplished through Service to our Employer, Profession, and Community.
Reflections
At the conclusion of each course, students are asked to reflect on what they have learned about the material and about themselves. The reflection is guided by five questions:
The new knowledge and skills I gained during this clinical semester were...
I learned much more about VMAT optimization techniques and brachytherapy this semester. I also continued to refine my skills in 3D planning.
Skills I hope to learn more about as I enter the workforce include...
I observed the planning of a few SBRT cases, but I was not able to plan any myself during my internship. I hope to learn more about this technique. Similarly, I would like to learn more about SRS treatment.
What I enjoyed most about this clinical rotation...
I like working with RapidArc. Being able to use the power of the computer to sculpt dose into multiple discrete dose levels while sparing crticial structures is fun.
What I struggled with the most throughout this clinical rotation and how I plan to work on it...
I still struggle with breast and chest wall tangent plans on large patients with irregular anatomy. Achieving adequate coverage of deep nodes while sparing high doses to the shoulder is a tough challenge. This is something that just needs more and more practice.
Other reflective thoughts...
I wish the internship were a bit longer. I learned a lot, but I still feel like I have only scratched the surface. I feel like my first job will be more like a residency that a true clinical job where I can stand on my own.
The new knowledge and skills I gained during this clinical semester were...
I learned much more about VMAT optimization techniques and brachytherapy this semester. I also continued to refine my skills in 3D planning.
Skills I hope to learn more about as I enter the workforce include...
I observed the planning of a few SBRT cases, but I was not able to plan any myself during my internship. I hope to learn more about this technique. Similarly, I would like to learn more about SRS treatment.
What I enjoyed most about this clinical rotation...
I like working with RapidArc. Being able to use the power of the computer to sculpt dose into multiple discrete dose levels while sparing crticial structures is fun.
What I struggled with the most throughout this clinical rotation and how I plan to work on it...
I still struggle with breast and chest wall tangent plans on large patients with irregular anatomy. Achieving adequate coverage of deep nodes while sparing high doses to the shoulder is a tough challenge. This is something that just needs more and more practice.
Other reflective thoughts...
I wish the internship were a bit longer. I learned a lot, but I still feel like I have only scratched the surface. I feel like my first job will be more like a residency that a true clinical job where I can stand on my own.
Academic Courses > DOS 773
|
Published December 10, 2015
Fourth Semester, 12 Months into Internship |