The Metropolitan Radiation Academy

Introduction

Metropolitan Radiation Academy is established to train qualified medical dosimetrists to work in radiation oncology field. The program upholds its mission to provide its students with the knowledge to pass the certification requirements and the ability to perform daily treatment planning tasks.

Terms

The program offers a12-month didactic class room/laboratory training and a 2-week clinical rotation.

Class Schedule for year 2007-2008

Class 2007-2008 starts on May 1, 2007.Class is offered at Wednesday evening (6:00 pm ~ 9:00 pm) and Saturday (9:00 am ~ 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm ~ 4:00 pm).

Location

The classroom/laboratory is located at 100 Eagle Rock Ave., East Hanover, NJ (subject to final contract approval).

Online Program

Students may take the course online. Teaching materials and lab demonstrations are posted on the school server for students to study.

Admission

Admission to the Medical Dosimetry Program is open to individuals who satisfy following requirement: Student should preferably have ARRT license and at least one year working experience as a radiation therapist. Student with X-ray technologist or Nuclear Medicine technologist background is also accepted based on comprehensive evaluations.
Special situation will be considered for student with other background.
A proficiency test is administered to the candidates prior to admission.

Application

Obtain application materials by downloading from: Download application

Curriculum

APPLIED MATHEMATICS: This course is designed to review and apply the concepts of mathematics that are essential for a successful career in Medical Dosimetry. Topics will include geometry, trigonometry, linear functions, rectangular coordinate system, scientific notation, exponential and logarithmic functions and the metric system.

MEDICAL IMAGING: This course is designed to review and apply the concepts of medical imaging as it applies to Radiation Oncology. Imaging modalities to be reviewed are Radiology, Fluoroscopy, CT, Ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine, including PET, and MRI.

TREATMENT MODALITIES: This course is designed to review the equipment used for external beam radiation therapy treatments.

RADIATION BIOLOGY: This course is designed to review the effects of radiation on the cell, cell systems and major organ systems.

TREATMENT PREPARATIONS: This course is designed to discuss the techniques used for target localization, patient positioning and immobilization, and plan evaluation, documentation and implementation.

CLINICAL ONCOLOGY: This course is designed to give the student relevant information on those diseases of the human body which may be treated with ionizing radiation. Radiation treatment planning and methods of treatment other than radiation will be discussed.

ISODOSE DISTRIBUTIONS: This course is designed to review and discuss the parameters that are used and affect photon isodose curves, including beam quality, attenuation, scattering, field size and shape, patient contour and heterogeneity corrections.

PHOTON BEAM DOSE CALCULATIONS: This course is designed to present methods of calculating dose to a point from a photon beam. Included in the course are calculations to points along CAX, off axis, under a block, outside a collimated area and within an irregular field.

DOSE MEASUREMENT: This course is designed to present methods used for dose measurement, including instrumentation, protocols, phantom materials and dose rate dependency. Clinical application to treatment techniques for both photons and electron will be discussed.

ELECTRON BEAM THERAPY: This course is designed to present the theory and practical application of electron beam therapy.

CLINICAL APPLICATIONS OF ELECTRONS: This course is designed to describe the characteristics of electron beam and apply to clinical treatment planning.

NUCLEAR PHYSICS: This course is designed to study the general properties of nuclei, to study the characteristics of the nuclear force, to introduce the principle models of the nucleus, to discuss radioactivity, to study nuclear reactions, in particular to nuclear medicine products and radiotherapy.

RADIATION PROTECTION: This course is designed to review to the concepts of radiation protection in radiation therapy.

CLINICAL BRACHYTHERAPY: This course is designed to present and discuss the parameters that are used and affect treatments using brachytherapy, both HDR and LDR techniques.

PROSTATE BRACHYTHERAPY: This course is designed to present and discuss the parameters that are used and affect treatments using brachytherapy to treat the prostate, both HDR and LDR techniques.

3D TREATMENT PLANNING: This course is designed to review all aspects of 3D Treatment Planning, including conformal and IMRT plans.

SRS/SRT PLANNING: This course is designed to review all aspects of Stereotactic Radiosurgery/Radiotherapy.

QUALITY ASSURANCE: This course is designed to review all aspects, technical and professional of a comprehensive quality assurance program in a radiation oncology department.

PROFESSIONAL ISSUES: This course is designed to examine the ethical conduct, professional and legal perspectives of the profession of medical dosimetry.

PATIENT MANAGEMENT: This course is designed to review medical management of cancer patients.

COMPUTERS AND NETWORKING: This course is designed to review hardware, software and networking issues in radiation oncology.

STAFF AND FACULTY

Tuition for year 2007-2008

$28,800.

Contact

For questions, please email to weiminchen@yahoo.com