Career Center

Summary

The John D. Dingell VAMC is recruiting for a Therapeutic Radiologic Technologist (Dosimetrist). The Medical Dosimetrist is a member of the Radiation Oncology team working collaboratively with the Medical Physicist and Radiation Oncologist - meeting cancer patients needs through radiation therapy.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• English Language Proficiency: Medical Dosimetrists must be proficient in spoken and written English
• See 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Education: Effective January 1 - 2017 - candidates are required to hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree and graduate from a medical dosimetry program of at least 12 months in duration
• The medical dosimetry program must be accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) - or other accrediting bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
• JRCERT is the accrediting agency for the medical dosimetry programs recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
• Exception
• Candidates who graduated prior to January 1 - 2017 - are considered to have met the basic education requirement provided they meet all Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board (MDCB) requirements and are in good standing
• Certification: Certification
• All applicants must be certified in medical dosimetry by the MDCB
• Certified Medical Dosimetry (CMD) is the recognized credential for Medical Dosimetrists
• NOTE: CMDs who perform therapeutic radiologic technologist duties must also possess ARRT(T) certification and be assigned to a functional statement that combines both types of work
• NOTE: The Consumer-Patient Radiation Health and Safety Act of 1981 - P.L
• 97- 35 requires persons who administer Therapeutic Radiological procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 C.F.R
• § 75
• They must have completed an educational program meeting or exceeding the standards described in that regulation and be accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or be a Radiation Therapist certified in medical dosimetry
• Exception for non-certified Medical Dosimetrists
• Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for Medical Dosimetrist certification may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate under 38 U.S.C. § 7405(a)(1)(B)
• Non-certified individuals may only provide care under the supervision of a certified Medical Dosimetrist at or above the full performance level
• Non-certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained
• Temporary appointments of non-certified Medical Dosimetrists may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment
• Failure to Obtain Certification
• In all cases - uncertified Medical Dosimetrists must actively pursue meeting the requirements for certification starting from the date of their appointment
• At the time of appointment - the Medical Dosimetrist's supervisor will provide the Medical Dosimetrist with the written requirements for certification - including the time by which the certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline
• Failure to obtain certification during this period may result in termination of employment
• Loss of Credential
• In collaboration with HR office staff - management officials must immediately relieve employees who fail to maintain the required certification of the duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation - which may also result in separation from employment
• Grade Determinations: Therapeutic Radiologic Technologist ( Dosimetrist) - GS12 Experience
• At this level - candidates must possess at least one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level and must fully meet the KSAs
• This experience may include - but is not limited to: responsible for developing accurate and deliverable complex treatment plans and image importing for fusion during the planning process
• Medical Dosimetrists will contour critical structures and tumor volumes
• They provide input of radiation safety practices - quality standards and abide by all governing bodies and standard operating procedures
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition - the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs: Knowledge of the care and use of radioactive resources for implementation and treatment delivery
• Skill at effective communication and leadership as demonstrated by providing orientation and training for staff - providing input for yearly appraisals - directing progress and coordination of workload - and ensuring compliance with standard operating procedures and directives to provide continuity of care
• Skill in providing guidance and expertise related to all aspects of the treatment planning process
• Skill to independently perform complex treatment procedures as evidenced by completing tasks such as developing and troubleshooting highly complex isodose treatment plans delineating critical structures and tumor volumes - performing weekly chart checks - performing QA verifications and providing training on all aspects of the Record and Verify System such as Mosaiq or Aria
• Ability to resolve complex physical and geometric errors in radiation equipment - simulation procedures and treatment delivery implementation
• Ability to follow protocols including - but not limited to developing and implementing policies and standard operating procedures - participating in research programs - ensuring compliance with the radiation safety office - national program office - and accrediting agencies - and following established quality standard measures
• Ability to apply a broad range of specific methods of radiation measurements including - but not limited to - diode - ion chamber - thermoluminescent dosimeter - or film measurement as directed by a qualified Medical Physicist and perform or assist with the QA procedures as directed by a qualified Medical Physicist Preferred Experience: Board Certified and at least 1-3 years of Clinical working experience including IMRT - VMAT and SBRT planning
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: The work requires long periods of standing and walking
• There is some bending and carrying of moderately heavy articles such as film cassettes - treatment devices - and molds with heavier lifting of wedges and specially designed shielding blocks
• Patients often are assisted to achieve proper positioning - which may require reaching - lifting - or working in strained positions
• The deterioration of the patient due to disease progression often requires lifting of the patient from stretchers or wheelchairs to treatment and examination tables utilizing special techniques designed to minimize the discomfort of the patient
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• See also VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to the following: Enters irregular fields - patient contours and other vital beam data into a treatment planning computer in a timely and accurate manner
• Enters approved treatment fields into the record and verify system - assuring that all patient data is correctly input and transferred to treatment machine for treatment of patient
• Accurately computes radiation dose to individual ports - tumors - organs of interest and other necessary body structures to ensure quality treatment to patients - and safety of normal tissue
• Conscientiously maintains awareness of dose - tissue tolerance
• Drafts one or several isocentric plans - as required - with emphasis on quality of dose distribution - using dosimetric knowledge and the parameters set by the treating physician
• Submits plan choices to appropriate physician to aid in determining best treatment method for specific patient tumors on an individual basis
• Maintains record of upcoming boost - so that they may be readied within prescribed practice and professional competency
• Prepares fields for treatment in RT chart - set up notes - photos and scheduling of filming
• Indicates vital factors necessary for correct patient treatment
• such as boosts - cord block - wedges - and other various treatment aids
• Accurately diagrams patient set-up when necessary to assure treatment method may be easily understood by the therapists administering the treatments
• Records final dose of all treatment areas with accuracy
• Assists CT scan technologists in a competent and courteous manner and instructs them as needed
• Ensures CT scans are promptly delivered to dosimetry for image formatting to assure smooth patient flow
• Works with Radiation Oncologists - Therapists - Department Nurse - and Clerical staff - as a member of the radiation therapy team
• Follows established safety practices and reports to supervisor as promptly as possible - unsafe conditions - unsafe practices or any occupational illness or injury sustained
• Adheres to all safety and health standards - regulations - work practices and uses proper protective equipment as required
• Assists oncologist in brachytherapy procedures and maintains sterile techniques
• Designs a treatment plan by means of computer and/or manual computation to determine a treatment field technique that will deliver the radiation dose prescribed by the Radiation Oncologist
• Takes into consideration dose-limiting structures when designing treatment plans
• These structures could include the eye when treating the brain - the heart when treating the lung - or the spinal cord when it is included in the area of treatment
• Supervises - performs - or assists in the process of producing moulds - casts - and other immobilization devices for accurate treatment delivery
• Works with the radiation therapists in the implementation of the patient treatment plans including: the correct application of immobilization devices - beam modification devices - approved field arrangements - and other treatment variables
• Using imaging modalities to create conventional or IMRT treatment plans that enable us to give higher doses of radiation to a tumor while lowering the doses to the sensitive structures around it
• Performs calculations for the accurate delivery of the Radiation Oncologist's prescribed dose - documents pertinent information in the patient record - and verifies the mathematical accuracy of all calculations using a system established by the Medical Physicist
• Performs - or assists in - the application of specific methods of radiation measurement
• Understands the technical aspects of radiation oncology and medical physics to meticulously derive computerized treatment plans and then communicate these aspects to the Radiation Oncologist for plan approval and to the Radiation Therapist for plan implementation
• Operates and performs quality assurance on the treatment planning system
• Interprets and executes treatment plans as defined in relevant treatment protocols
• Work Schedule: Monday- Friday
• 08:00am-04:30pm
• Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 93767A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized