Service
Over the course of our clinical internship, we are encouraged to engage ourselves in service projects at several levels, including employer service, professional service, and community service. Employer service is the most local level, which involves volunteering to facilitate or improve a process that is relevant to the facility or organization where we work. Professional service expands the scope to a larger pool of stakeholders, such as all members of a particular industry. Community service is the broadest scope, where the affected stakeholders can be anyone or everyone.
Employer Service
Prior to my internship, while I was a full time employee at SCCA Proton Therapy, I assisted with facility tours for patients and community members. During the 2014 AAMD Annual Meeting, which was in Seattle, I helped represent the dosimetry department, answering technical questions about the difference between photon and proton therapy, and I helped out as a crowd wrangler during tours of the cyclotron and beam line areas. During the rest of the year, I also assisted with patient tours of the machine shop, explaining the function of apertures and compensators and how they are individually crafted for each patient's plan.
Professional Service
At the professional level, I have continued to volunteer with the American Association of Medical Dosimetrists (AAMD) as a volunteer for the Directed Journal Reading Committee (DJR), the Formal Education Committee (FEC), and Continuing Education Committee (CEC). During the first semester of my internship, I helped to create a DJR quiz for a journal article on Flattening Filter Free (FFF) delivery of radiation from linear accelerators by submitting a set of questions relating to the article. I also helped out by proofreading other submissions and by doing a small reorganization of the collaborative workspace on Podio.com.
During my second semester, I continued my DJR work by writing a quiz on spinal SBRT. I also worked with Scott Green, the committee chair, to begin the process of transitioning the committee's working files from Podio to OneHub, which will allow collaborative editing to take place much more easily.
Also during my second semester, I volunteered to help run the Interactive Contouring Workshop at the AAMD 40th Annual Meeting.
During my second semester, I continued my DJR work by writing a quiz on spinal SBRT. I also worked with Scott Green, the committee chair, to begin the process of transitioning the committee's working files from Podio to OneHub, which will allow collaborative editing to take place much more easily.
Also during my second semester, I volunteered to help run the Interactive Contouring Workshop at the AAMD 40th Annual Meeting.
Community Service
At the community level, during my first semester I participated in an event for the St. Baldrick's Foundation, which raises awareness and research money for childhood cancer research by encouraging participants to shave their heads both as visible symbols of solidarity with cancer patients and as a conversation starter for people outside the event. I raised $200 of pledge funds for my head shaving, and I also volunteered to help the event run smoothly.