Consultnt Medical Physicist-Radiotherapy

Consultnt Medical Physicist-Radiotherapy Job Code
‎30001651
Basic Function
The post holder is responsible for the operational management of the
radiotherapy physics service

Provides medical physics support and advice for safe and proper function of
the radiation oncology unit.

Checks and verifies that all equipment used for patient radiation treatment
performs to the standards required and is within statutory regulations.

Preforms radiation treatment planning and calculations to meet radiation
oncologist’s prescription and provides scientific and technical oversight for
patient dosimetry.
Scope
Provide professional advice to clinical staff on the physics of radiotherapy.
As a Consultant Medical Physicist the post holder will act as an independent
clinically qualified medical physicist providing highly specialist, complex
advice Undertake patient radiotherapy treatment planning, related dosimetry
and checking in accordance with the radiation oncologist's prescription.
Performs quality assurance, control tasks and calibration of radiotherapy
equipment and maintain accurate records to ensure all equipment performs to
the standards required and within statutory regulations for optimum operation
and utilization.
Principal Contacts
Has contact with radiation therapist, physicist, physicians, patients,
engineers, Radiation Protection officers (RPO), nursing staff and clerical
personnel and JHAH IT. Liaise with equipment manufacturers and suppliers as
required.
Principal Duties

Operationally responsible for the delivery of a safe, high standard and cost
effective radiotherapy physics service, ensuring that standard operating
procedures and protocols are in place and deploying resources as and when
required to meet service need.

Prioritize and manage own work and work independently to perform all required
radiotherapy medical physics duties.

The post holder will take into account the legal and ethical considerations
when exercising their own professional self-regulation as a consultant medical
physicist.

Participate in aspects of purchasing new radiotherapy equipment, including
specification, evaluation, selection, acceptance testing and commissioning as
required.

Development, review and implementing of a quality assurance program for all
treatment modalities, treatment planning systems, dosimetry equipment and
radiation therapy imaging equipment ,localization procedures, and
computational equipment and programs to assure that patients receive
prescribed doses and dose distributions, within acceptable accuracy.

Establishing and being responsible for the standards of practice within the
radiotherapy physics section and ensuring these are in accordance with
recognized criteria, including national and international regulations,
guidance, approved codes of practice and published standards.

Work with the JHAH RPO to ensure all radiation protection requirements are
met. Investigating incidents involving radiation and perform post-
incident/accident patient dosimetry.

Withdrawing highly complex radiotherapy machines and equipment from use in
cases where patient safety may be compromised.

Provide appropriate expert medical physics advice on clinical equipment issues
to all cancercare staff. Investigate and assist to resolve problems on highly
complex patient clinical equipment. Applying rigorous scientific methods to
solving therapeutic problems for the benefit of patients.

Using professional judgement when providing complex, wide-ranging expert
advice to clinical staff on individual patient treatment plans, quality
assurance, radiation dosimetry and the interpretation of scientific advice and
results. The highly-specialist, complex and advanced nature of this expert
advice means that there may be no recourse to another clinical scientist.

Planning and organizing complex equipment commissioning programs that involve
a range of professionals from inside and outside JHAH, including physics
staff, equipment suppliers and Radiation Protection Advisors.

Liaise with, and give assistance to both JHAH and/or manufacturers’ engineers
in the event of any machine or equipment down-time or failure, including out
of hours working as necessary.

Responsible for decisions with regards to the fitness of radiotherapy
equipment for clinical use following major repair or changes to software or
hardware.

Responsible for calibration of the radiotherapy linear accelerator traceable
to international standard

Performing complex radiation protection shielding calculations, taking into
account current and future use factors and access to protected areas, to
design equipment bunkers that ensure staff and the public are protected in
accordance with the limits and recommendations set in national legislation,
guidance notes and current best practice.

Principal Duties (cont'd)

Produce routine and complex radiation dose plans including IMRT, VMAT, IGRT,
SBRT and carry out associated complex calculations to quantify the radiation
dose received by the patient, in accordance with clinical prescription and
agreed procedures, using computerized planning systems as appropriate.

Analyze proposed treatments and make highly analytical judgements regarding
treatment parameters and patient radiation dose effects. Using visual
objectivity and computerized dose volume histograms, to ensure adherence of
dose uniformity and dose critical constraints.

Calculate, and prepare templates for critical irradiation beam shielding
blocks as specified by the radiation oncologist.

Assurance of the accuracy of treatment unit parameters and settings for a
patient's treatment, including correct transfer of parameters between the CT
simulator, MRI, PET, the treatment planning system and the treatment unit.

Responsible for performing the final independent check on treatment technique,
treatment plan data, dose calculations and templates.

Perform pre treatment IMRT and VMAT patient specific QA and periodic review of
each patient's chart.

Measures and performs dosimetry for electron based patient treatments.

Perform In-vivo measurements to verify the dose delivered to a patient as
requested by the radiation oncologist.

Keep all records, document and report work as appropriate.

Encouraging, initiating, supervising and participating in research and
development in the areas of radiotherapy physics, treatment planning and
radiotherapy treatments.

Participate in chart rounds and multidisciplinary radiation oncology patient-
discussion conferences.

Initiating and participating in clinical and dosimetric audit activities

Participating in clinical and audit activities.

Ensure that the radiation oncology unit participates in external audits to
provide a further level of quality assurance that the correct dosimetry and
beam parameters are in use for treating patients safely.

Participation at radiation oncology physics or related medical meetings to
receive and disseminate updated information and or practice standards
information.

Oversight dosimetrist and/or junior physicist carrying out patient dosimetry
and treatment planning, ensuring that policies and procedures are adhered to.

Carry out patient dosimetry, planning and plan-checking as required to support
the dosimetrist and/or junior physicist.

Researches and develops new devices and modalities for improved therapeutic
use of radiation and send recommendations to medical management.

Enhances professional growth and development through participation in
educational programs, current literature, workshops and keep abreast of latest
technical and Scientific advancements.

Education

Bachelor and Masters degree in Physics with sub-specialty in Medical Physics.

PhD is relevant field is preferred.

Experience

Minimum of ‎10 years as a clinical radiotherapy physicist and ‎4 years post
board certification.

Comprehensive expert knowledge of radiotherapy physics

Working Knowledge of medical physics (diagnostic, nuclear medicine and
radiation protection)

Certifications/Other requirements as applicable

Board certification in Therapeutic medical physics (e.g. American Board of
Radiology,

Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine or internationally recognized
equivalent

Strong English language writing and verbal communication skills, Arabic is
desirable.

Self-motivated with the ability to work independently.

A logical and inquisitive mind with excellent analytical skills.

Good team working abilities.

Meets the MOH and Saudi commission for health specialties requirements.

Must be proficient in English language.