Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Post Baccalaureate Certificate, Medical Dosimetry (Off-site)

Form OS

OFF-SITE DELIVERY OF AN EXISTING PROGRAM FORM

Sponsoring Institution (s): Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Name of Institution (Campus or off-campus residential center in the case of multi-campus institutions).
Program Title: Medical Dosimetry
Degree/Certificate: Post Baccalaureate Certificate
Institution Granting Degree: Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Siteman Cancer Center
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Mailstop 90-38-635, 4921 Parkview Place
St. Louis, Missouri 63110
(314) 454-7507
Clinical Instructors:  Lisa Westfall, Tami Jamruk, and  Rudi Bertrand

SSM De Paul Health Center
12303 DePaul Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63044-2588
(314) 344-6092 Ext. 2847
Clinical Instructor:  Patricia Karfs

Siteman Cancer Center
150 Entrance Way
St. Peters, Missouri 63376
(636) 916-9941
Clinical Instructor:  Bruce Gu

St. Lukes Hospital
232 South Woodsmill Road
Chesterfield, Missouri 63017
(314) 542-4998
Clinical Instructors: Abel Cheng and Shelley Wisenor

Mode of Program Delivery:
The program didactic instruction is delivered via live video conferencing equipment.  The lectures are taught from Southern Illinois University Carbondale or from the Siteman Cancer Center located at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.  At each facility the students go to a quiet location and participate in the lectures with the video conferencing equipment.  After the class the student returns to the clinic for their training.

The clinical education is received at the above locations as students rotate to every facility for their training.  Students do “round robin” training at these facilities with set rotation lengths. 

Geographic Location of Student Access: 

Siteman Cancer Center
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Mailstop 90-38-635, 4921 Parkview Place
St. Louis, Missouri 63110
(314) 454-7507
Clinical Instructors:  Lisa Westfall, Tami Jamruk, and  Rudi Bertrand

SSM De Paul Health Center
12303 DePaul Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63044-2588
(314) 344-6092 Ext. 2847
Clinical Instructor:  Patricia Karfs

Siteman Cancer Center
150 Entrance Way
St. Peters, Missouri 63376
(636) 916-9941
Clinical Instructor:  Bruce Gu

St. Lukes Hospital
232 South Woodsmill Road
Chesterfield, Missouri 63017
(314)542-4998
Clinical Instructors:  Abel Cheng and Shelley Wisenor

CIP Classification: 51.0907(Please provide CIP code)
Implementation Date: Fall 2008
Semester and Year
Cooperative Partners: N/A

BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

By:  Thomas H. Beebe, Director of Military Programs
      For Samuel Goldman, Interim Chancellor
      Southern Illinois University Carbondale
      (See Attachment 1)

Person to Contact for More Information     Telephone
Thomas H. Beebe      618/536-3388

 

1. Need:

A. Student Demand:

i.  Estimated enrollment each year for the first five years for full-time and part-time students (Form SE)

STUDENT ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS (Form SE)

ii.   Will enrollment be capped in the future?

Enrollment is based on total students and current clinic sites in the state of Missouri.  If more clinical sites wish to have students the number would increase by one student respectively.  Total program enrollment is currently 12 students.

B.  Market Demand:

i.    National, state, regional, or local assessment of labor need for citizens with these skills.

Referencing the “2002 Radiation Oncology Workforce Study: performed by the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology” There is a total national need for 702 dosimetrists, which is 24.4% of the total number (2877) of currently practicing dosimetrists.

The Midwest needs 149 dosimetrists - Illinois (38), Indiana (12), Michigan (18), Ohio (21), Wisconsin (18), Iowa (6), Kansas (7), Minnesota (6), Missouri (17), Nebraska (3), North Dakota (3), and South Dakota (0).  There are seven students currently enrolled in the only Midwest based program, SIUC/Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. 

The “Medical Dosimetry Certification Board” offers the certified medical dosimetrist (CMD) exam once each year.  Historically, on average, 55% pass the exam on the first attempt. Last year approximately 400 individuals challenged the exam.

The “CARE Bill” is currently being considered by congress which will limit who can practice medical dosimetry and this will increase the need for CMDs across the country.

Currently about 1 of 10 applicants taking the Medical Dosimetry exam are graduates of a formal program and 9 of 10 complete on-the-job training.  If an individual graduates from a medical dosimetry training program he or she can sit for the exam in 18 months whereas individuals completing the on-the-job training can take the exam in 24 months.  There is a six month benefit in eligibility.

C.  Societal Need:

i. General needs that are not directly related to employment.

There is a need for dosimetrists in the St. Louis area as currently there are four fulltime positions posted.

D.  Methodology used to determine "B" and "C" above.

Referenced the “2002 Radiation Oncology Workforce Study:  performed by the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology” also utilized current job market.

2. Duplication and Collaboration:
If similar programs currently exist in Missouri, what makes the proposed program necessary and/or distinct from the others at public institutions, area vocational technical schools, and private career schools?

Currently there are only nine Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) accredited programs in the country.  SIUC was the third program to receive this accreditation.  There are no programs in the state of Missouri. www.jrcert.org

Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL
University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD
University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill, NC
Pitt Community College, Greenville, NC
University of Cincinnati, Raymond Walters College, Cincinnati, OH
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH
Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA
University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, Lacrosse, WI

Does delivery of the program involve a collaborative effort with any external institution or organization? If yes, please complete Form CL.

Yes, we currently collaborate with the following internship sites in Missouri.

Siteman Cancer Center
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Mailstop 90-38-635, 4921 Parkview Place
St. Louis, Missouri 63110
(314) 454-7507
Clinical Instructors:  Lisa Westfall, Tami Jamruk, and  Rudi Bertrand

SSM De Paul Health Center
12303 DePaul Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63044-2588
(314) 344-6092 Ext. 2847
Clinical Instructor:  Patricia Karfs

Siteman Cancer Center
150 Entrance Way
St. Peters, Missouri 63376
(636) 916-9941
Clinical Instructor:  Bruce Gu

St. Lukes Hospital
232 South Woodsmill Road
Chesterfield, Missouri 63017
(314) 542-4998
Clinical Instructors: Abel Cheng and Shelley Wisenor

We do have an agreement with the John Cochran VA Hospital in St. Louis and they will possibly take students again in 2009.

Course material and practicum covers radiation physics, radiation protection, dose calculations, tumor localization, external beam treatment planning, brachytherapy, quality assurance, medical imaging/anatomy, clinical radiation oncology, and radiobiology.  Clinical practicum includes external beam treatment planning, brachytherapy treatment, preparation and planning, chart reviews and dose calculations, record and verify system data entry, simulation (conventional and CT-simulation), treatment aid fabrication, treatment machine quality assurance, stereotactic treatment planning, gamma knife, IMRT planning and treatment.  Special project assignments, conference attendance and presentation, journal article review, labs, and journal manuscript submission are also part of the curriculum.

3. Financial Projections (for public institutions only): Please complete Form FP. Additional narrative may be added as needed. If more than one institution is providing support, please complete a separate form for each institution.

Not Applicable.

4. Program Characteristics and Performance Goals: See the recommended format and issues to be addressed (Form PG). Please submit the Program Characteristics and Performance Goals for the program at this site as well as for those of the equivalent on-campus program. For collaborative programs, responsibility for program evaluation and assessment rests with the institution(s) granting the degree(s).

6.   Quality Assurance for Off-Site Programs:

A. General Oversight: Describe the manner in which this program will be managed. How does the management of this program fit within the institution's academic administrative structure?

The program is managed by the Medical Dosimetry Program Director.  This program is offered through the College of Applied Sciences and Arts, School of Allied Health.  Program registration occurs through the Division of Continuing Education.  The Program Director is supervised by the Director of the School of Allied Health who reports to the Dean of the College of Applied Sciences and Arts.  The Dean reports to the Provost, Chancellor and then to the President of Southern Illinois University.

B. Faculty Qualifications: How do the qualifications of faculty at this site compare with those of faculty for this program at the main campus? Please also note the comparable data regarding the proportion of course-section coverage by full-time faculty at each site.

All faculty have a Master’s or Doctorate Degree.  The faculty are credentialed by the American Board of Radiology as a Medical Physicists or by the Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board as a Dosimetrist.  Each individual is qualified to teach the subject matter assigned. 

The program is only offered off campus so there is no main campus comparison.

The program is delivered via live video conferencing equipment so each site receives the same education from the same instructor at the same time.

C. Support Services: Describe how the institution will ensure that students at this site will be able to access services such as academic support, library, computing, and financial aid, as well as other administrative functions, at a level of quality comparable to that of on-campus programs.

All students have access to many types of student services.  They can visit Morris Library through the internet: http://www.lib.siu.edu/index.html. SIUC offers a full service financial aid office which can be reached via telephone or web.  All records and registration offices can also be reached through telephone or internet.

7.   Any Other Relevant Information:

SIUC’s Medical Dosimetry program has been approved to operate in the state of Missouri since 2005.  Prior to this the program was housed at Barnes-Jewish Hospital as a hospital based program. 

Please see attached Medical Dosimetry Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program Student Handbook (Attachment 5) for current program contents.

Form PG

PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS AND PERFORMANCE GOALS

Institution Name:    Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Program Name:  Medical Dosimetry 
Date:  July 9, 2008     
    
(Although all of the following guidelines may not be applicable to the proposed program, please carefully consider the elements in each area and respond as completely as possible in the format below. Quantification of performance goals should be included wherever possible.)

Student Preparation

• Any special admissions procedures or student qualifications required for this program which exceed regular university admissions, standards, e.g., ACT score, completion of core curriculum, portfolio, personal interview, etc. Please note if no special preparation will be required.

Preferred candidates are individuals who have a baccalaureate degree and have been trained as a radiation therapist. Consideration is given to applicants with a bachelor's degree in the physical or biological sciences without radiation therapy experience.  Overall cumulative GPA must be at least a 2.8 (A = 4.0).

• Characteristics of a specific population to be served, if applicable.

The medical dosimetry program will serve all student populations who wish to pursue careers in the field of medical dosimetry regardless of race, religion, sex, etc.  If a student meets the entrance criteria, they will be considered for admittance.

Faculty Characteristics

• Any special requirements (degree status, training, etc.) for assignment of teaching for this degree/certificate.

All faculty have a Master’s or Doctorate Degree.  The faculty are either credentialed by the American Board of Radiology as a Medical Physicists or Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board as a Dosimetrist.  Each individual is qualified to teach the subject matter assigned. 

• Estimated percentage of credit hours that will be assigned to full time faculty. Please use the term "full time faculty" (and not FTE) in your descriptions here.

100% of the credit hours are assigned to full time faculty.

• Expectations for professional activities, special student contact, teaching/learning innovation.

The medical physics staff teach 90 contact hours per year while the program director teaches at least 90 hours and supervises each clinical course.

Enrollment Projections

• Student FTE majoring in program by the end of five years.

Enrollment is expected to be 6-8 full time students in the state of Missouri by the end of five years. (Total enrollment in the program is expected to be 12-14).

• Percent of full time and part time enrollment by the end of five years.

Every student pursuing a career as a medical dosimetrist will be enrolled full time in the Medical Dosimetry program.

Student and Program Outcomes

• Number of graduates per annum at three and five years after implementation.

It is anticipated that there will be 6-8 graduates per year from Missouri. 

• Special skills specific to the program.

After successful completion of the Medical Dosimetry Program, graduates will be able to perform competently as a medical dosimetrist in the health care setting.  They should understand all aspects associated with medical dosimetry.  These tasks include but are not limited to:  treatment planning, MU and point dose calculations, brachytherapy, and QA.

• Proportion of students who will achieve licensing, certification, or registration.

So far the Medical Dosimetry program at SIUC has achieved 100% first attempt success on the dosimetry exam offered by the Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board.  On this exam students either pass or fail, there are not scaled results released. 

• Performance on national and/or local assessments, e.g., percent of students scoring above the 50th percentile on normed tests; percent of students achieving minimal cut-scores on criterion-referenced tests. Include expected results on assessments of general education and on exit assessments in a particular discipline as well as the name of any nationally recognized assessments used.

The benchmark for the program is a five year average of 80% of the graduates will pass the exam over a five year period on the first attempt. 

• Placement rates in related fields, in other fields, unemployed.

Each graduate of the program has gained full time employment within six months of graduation.  The benchmark for this item is that 50% of the graduates will have employment at time of graduation and that 80% will have employment six months post graduation (Attachment 2).

• Transfer rates, continuous study.

Currently the program does not accept transfer students.

Program Accreditation

• Institutional plans for accreditation, if applicable, including accrediting agency and timeline. If there are no plans to seek specialized accreditation, please provide reasons.

The Medical Dosimetry program is fully accredited through the JRCERT.  The program was the third program in the United States to receive accreditation.

Alumni and Employer Survey

• Expected satisfaction rates for alumni, including timing and method of surveys.

Please see attached employer and graduate surveys (Attachments 3 and 4).  Also see the assessment report (Attachment 2) for data analysis.

Each year graduate surveys are performed at the time of graduation and six months post graduation.

• Expected satisfaction rates for employers, including timing and method of surveys.

Each year employer surveys are performed six months post graduation.

ATTACHMENTS (Available Upon Request)

Attachment 1    Delegation of Authority

Attachment 2    Assessment Plan

Attachment 3    Employer Survey

Attachment 4    Graduate Survey

Attachment 5    Medical Dosimetry Post-Baccalaureate
                        Certificate Program Student Handbook