Job Abstract

Decypher is a leading integrator of professional, technology, and management solutions and services. We provide our services globally to Federal, Commercial, Local and State clients. Our employees are our most valuable assets and play an integral role in the success of Decypher and our clients. Working at Decypher is not a job, but a career where your talent and energy is respected and you can personally make a difference. Decypher invites you to join our professional team. Decypher is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to diversifying its workforce (M/F/D/V).

DESCRIPTION

Decypher is seeking qualified Certified Medical Dosimetrist to serve as Lead Medial Dosimetrist to support the mission at Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center (Fort Belvoir, VA).

RESPONSIBILITIES

A Qualified Medical Dosimetrist is an individual who is competent to practice under the supervision of a qualified physician and qualified medical physicist. This individual uses critical thinking and problem-solving skills as well as exercises discretion and judgment in the performance of medical dosimetry procedures.

• Provides management oversight of dosimetry and treatment planning operations in the Radiation Oncology department.
• Serves as liaison between dosimetry, physics, physicians, simulation therapists, staff therapists and other sections within the departments.
• Directly supervises subordinate dosimetrists, to include scheduling, time off, evaluations, as well as major input into hiring and termination of dosimetry staff.
• Assigns workload appropriately and fairly to direct reports and ensures optimal productivity and quality is achieved from their work.
• Maintains the accuracy of all treatment parameters and prescription data in Record /Verify (R/V) system and Radformation /Clearcheck as well as maintains accurate billing procedures.
• Serves as R/V super user for dosimetry, maintains and enforces data integrity, and ensures maximum utilization of application from direct reports as requested.
• Develops and implements policies and procedures pertaining to medical dosimetry and treatment planning services.
• Evaluates and makes recommendations for new software products impacting medical dosimetry and oversees staff training and integration into clinic workflow.
• Reports regularly and directly to physician and physicist to discuss and problem solve issues related to dosimetry. Serves as point of contact for interdepartmental and extra-departmental issues. Serves and participates on committees as requested.
• Promotes team approach when interacting with other staff members.
• Assist department with IT needs including Aria, Scanner, Printers, and Microsoft office products.

The Dosimetrist shall independently perform multiple complex and less intricate routine dose calculations, to include:

• Asymmetric jaws, gaps, irregular fields, and arctangents.
• Use of 3D computers for treatment planning.
• Obtain contours, perform Dosimetry and TLD/diode measurements.
• Perform electron beam calculations.
• Prepare protocol data.
• Load radiation oncology sources for Brachytherapy implants.
• Perform Brachytherapy (implant) calculations and planning per physicist.
• Iteration with both conventional and CT-based simulation for treatment planning, quality control procedures and Intensity Modulation Radiation Therapy planning per physicist directive.

Comply with the Department of Radiology administrative policies, which will be available for review in the Radiation Therapy Service, Department of Radiology.

Comply with radiation protection measures by wearing radiation film badge when on duty in accordance with Army Regulation 10-14, Control and Recording Procedure for Occupation Exposures to Ionizing Radiation Therapy Service in the Department Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Manual.

Assist with simulations and obtaining patient contours as requested by physicians or therapists.

Perform Dosimetric calculations for external beam treatments and brachytherapy.

Perform computerized treatment planning including three-dimensional treatment planning and intensity modulated treatment planning as requested by the physician or physicist.

Perform weekly chart checks for patients under treatment and summary checks for patients completing treatment on request of Chief Physicist.

Ensure accurate implementation of new complex treatment plans on the therapy machines. This includes checking chart documentation and treatment database system accuracy.

Coordinate the gathering and collating of departmental statistics for dosimetry, simulation, and treatment.

Assist in the fabrication of special immobilization devices as required.

Schedule planning CT scans and assist with patient set-up during the planning CT session as needed. Commensurate with abilities, assist the division physicist as required.

Assist with CPT coding of procedures performed by Physics/dosimetry.

Perform procedures to include, but not limited to, the following:

• Assist Physicist or advise therapists on the operations of the following radiation equipment as requested.
• Become proficient with and adhere to the Radiation Oncology Division standard operating procedures (SOP) for the correct conduct of Radiation Therapy procedures. The Government will provide training on new equipment as it is introduced into the department.
• Operate or direct operations of radiation therapy equipment:
  • A). Treatment Units
    • Two Varian LINAC (6, 16 MV Photons, 4-20 MeV electrons) with 120- leaf dynamic multi-Collimator (MLC), commissioned for IMRT, a Si electron imaging device (EPID), and Respiratory Gating hardware.
    • Hyperthermia treatment

B). Unit Information Systems:

• Varian ARIA management systems Treatment Simulation Systems
• Philip computed tomography unit Treatment Planning Dosimetry Systems
• Varian Eclipse computer system for both external beam and Brachytherapy planning

QUALIFICATIONS

Degree/Education: Must hold minimum of a baccalaureate degree. Successful completion of a program of formal education as recommended by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), which has been approved by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAEA). The program or formal education should be twenty-four (24) months in length or equivalent

Certifications in addition to Basic Life Support: Possess current certification as a Clinical/Medical Dosimetrist to practice in any state or in the District of Columbia. The Dosimetrist is required to possess and maintain current Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification as stated in AR 40- 68, Clinical Quality Management. BLS provided by the American Heart Association (AHA) CPR/AED Professional Rescuer Course is the appropriate standard of training for all BLS certification.

Experience: A total of five (5) years of experience in Radiation Therapy is required. Three (3) years of experience within the last five (5) calendar years in Clinical/Medical Dosimetry applications. The Contract Dosimetrist shall be familiar with state-of-the-art applications of Three-Dimensional Treatment Planning systems, including Intensity Modulation Radiation Therapy and Radiosurgery planning. It is expected that an individual will not hold him/herself to be qualified to practice where competency has not been established.

Board Certification: The American Association of Medical Dosimetrists (AAMD) regards that personnel practicing in Medical Dosimetry meet, at a mininimum, certification provided by the Medical Dosimetry Certification Board (MDCB). Accordingly, the CMD (Certified Medical Dosimetrist) is recognized as the appropriate credential for the Medical Dosimetrist. An individual will be considered competent to practice if he/she is certified by the Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board (MDCB). In addition to the above qualifications, a Qualified Medical Dosimetrist shall meet and uphold the AAMD Code of Ethics, and the Ethical Standards of the Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board as published by the AAMD and MDCB, respectively, and satisfy any state mandated regulations where applicable.

Licensure/Registration: None.