(Monday, 7/15/2019) 1:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Room: 301
Purpose: Clinical treatment setups (defined as treatment without use of the planning system) are frequently employed in radiation therapy. In the era of 3Dplanning, there are limited training methods presented for preparing trainees to effectively perform these treatments. This project develops and evaluates an interactive training workshop to improve resident’s skills in clinical treatment setups.
Methods: Workshops used case-based learning, an active learning technique using real-life scenarios to improve trainees’ skills and analytical thinking. Workshop objectives were to provide residents with the skills and confidence to 1) prescribe the dose and treatment setup, 2) positioning the patient on the table and select the appropriate beam geometry, and 3) calculate beam monitor units. Residents were given one singular goal: work together to treat the patient accurately. Residents were broken into teams, with each team assigned one of the objectives. Individual teams first identified their strategy for completing their objective, then gathered together to complete their objectives in front of the entire group. The effectiveness of the workshop was measured using pre- and post-workshop questionnaires.
Results: Prior to the workshop, 44% of residents felt comfortable knowing what to do when participating in a clinical emergency treatment, which increased to 88% after the workshop. Prior to the workshop, 33% of residents felt competent performing the tasks of a clinical emergency treatment, which increased to 75% after the workshop. All residents (100%) agreed or strongly agreed that the workshops were effective learning experiences.
Conclusion: A hands-on workshop using case-based learning was successfully developed to increase trainee comfort with clinical set-ups. This workshop can be easily integrated into any training program and expanded to other members of the treatment team. Case-based learning is a viable training method in residency programs and should be considered for additional applications in radiation oncology.
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