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From Radiological Sciences

The graduate program in Radiological Sciences is designed to prepare students to participate in the development and transmission of scientific knowledge concerning the uses of radiant energy forms in the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases.

Dr. Niko Papanikolau (center)congratulates (from left)Teboh Roland, Trish Tynan, Courtney Buckey & Drosoula Giantsoudi for their success at the Young Investigators' Symposium at the Spring 2008 meeting of the Southwest Chapter of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Maxwell Amurao describes how he used micro-computed CT to investigate the influence of water on the structure of collagen at his dissertation defense in July.

NEWS OF INTEREST

Radiological Sciences graduate students were co-authors on 55 presentations at the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine held in Houston. Follow this link to see a complete list of the AAPM 2008 Presentations.

Eleven of the sixteen presentations at the Young Investigators' Symposium at the Spring 2008 meeting of the Southwest Chapter of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine on April 18th in Austin, TX were delivered by UTHSCSA Radiological Sciences graduate students. The following UTHSCSA students won prizes for their presentations:
• 1^st place: Courtney Buckey, Dosimetric Comparison of Prostate Treatment Modalities
• 2^nd place: Patricia Tynan, Use of BEAMnrc and DOSXYZ to Model Electron Fields Shaped with a Photon Multileaf Collimator for Modulated Electron Radiotherapy
• 3^rd place: Teboh Roland, Measurement and Derivation of Geometric Error Distribution for a Real Time 4D Tracking Radiotherapy System
• 4^th place: Drosoula Giantsoudi, Dosimetric Considerations of Cf-252 Brachytherapy Source

Five Radiological Sciences graduate students presented their work at the meeting of the South Texas Chapter of the Health Physics Society in Waco, TX on April 8, 2008:

• Laura Strban: A Summary of AAPM report 96: The Measurement, Reporting, and Management of Radiation Dose in CT
• Kelly Furman: An Overview of MammoSite Targeted Radiation Therapy
• Ben Sramek: Radiochromic Versus Radiographic Film-Based Dosimetry
• Krystina M. Tack: A Medical Event in Brachytherapy
• Xudong Wang: Monte Carlo Simulations of Proportional Counters with Different Site Size in HZE Radiation Field

Hui Yu, 3rd year student, as been accepted to attend the NASA Summer Student Program at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory. This program helps to provide a “pipeline” of researchers to tackle need for scientists to study the dangers space travelers face from deep-space radiation — and how to best shield them against these risks. The program is co-sponsored by Brookhaven Lab, Loma Linda University Medical Center, and Universities Space Research Association, a consortium of universities, research organizations, and governmental groups involved in space research.



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Graduate students David Murray (left), Sam Pokharel (center) and Shabbou Ghahremani (right) work on a linear accelerator.

AREAS OF STUDY

For convenience,students of the Radiological Sciences select areas of emphasis including Medical Physics, Biology research using imaging technologies, and Radiation Biophysics. The curricula provide opportunities for students to acquire a core of fundamental knowledge through a synergistic program of formal courses, seminars, teaching opportunities and hands-on research experiences. After completing core courses each student begins the Qualifying examination process to be admitted into candidacy. Then, with the assistance of a research advisor, each student is encouraged to design an individual course of study consistent with his/her career goals.

List of formal courses

Tracks for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree

1. PhD degree specializing in Radiation Therapy Physics
2. PhD degree specializing in Medical Diagnostic Physics
3. PhD degree specializing in Radiation Biology
4. PhD degree specializing in Human Imaging
5. PhD degree specializing in Neuroscience Imaging

Click here for the listing of Sequential Procedures Required for Completing the PhD Program.

Tracks for the Master of Science (MS) Degree

1. Medical Health Physics - MS Degree
2. Radiation Therapy Physics - MS Degree
3. Medical Diagnostic Physics - MS Degree

Click here for the listing of Sequential Procedures Required for Completing the MS Program.

HISTORY AND ADMINISTRATION

The Graduate Program was approved by the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences(GSBS), Regents of the University of Texas, and the Coordinating Board for Higher Education of the State of Texas in 1989. The Graduate Program began with a PhD & MS track in Medical Physics, a PhD track in Radiation Biology & a MS track in Medical Health Physics. In 1996, the Medical Physics tracks of the Graduate Program were accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP). Since then, two additional training programs, in Human Imaging and Neuroscience Imaging have been added. The Graduate Program has a total of 73 graduates, 53 with from the PhD program and 20 from the MS program.

The Director of the Graduate Program administers the program while the Committee on Graduate Studies (COGS) sets policy and approves students' committee membership, qualifying exam committees and dissertation projects.

RESEARCH AND CLINICAL TRAINING


Laura Strban (right)and Krysie Tack (left), who shared the first place award for best graduate level presentation at the So. TX Chapter - HPS meeting earlier this month, show their prizes to Dr. Mike Charlton, Chair of the Medical Health Physics Curriculum Committee.

Major Research Facilities

• Radiology Department’s Division of Research
• UTHSCSA Research Imaging Center (RIC)
• Cancer Therapy and Research Center. (CTRC)

Other Research Facilities

These facilities are also available to students to gain both research and clinical experience:

• Audie Murphy VA Medical Center
• The University Medical Center of the Bexar County Hospital District
• Brooke Army Medical Center
• Wilford Hall Medical Center (US Air Force)
• Texas Cancer Center
• South Texas Oncology & Hematology

Training Programs and Grants

• Multi-Disciplinary Human Imaging Program
• Increasing Minority Representation in Medical Physics

Recent Publications

FACULTY

Faculty Assignments There are currently 67 faculty members in the Radiological Sciences Graduate Program. The Program assigns faculty into two categories: Faculty Research Advisors and Faculty-at-Large. Faculty Research Advisors are defined as faculty teaching at least one course per year who are authorized to advise graduate students and chair thesis committees. Those members listed as Faculty-at-Large have at least two contact lecture hours per year and participate on thesis and dissertation committees. A faculty member listed as a Faculty Research Advisors shall serve as a Co-Director or Director of at least one course per year. The faculty assignments are reviewed each August by the Committee on Graduate Studies (COGS).

Faculty Research Advisors Faculty members are assigned as “advisors” each semester to mentor students who have been accepted into the program. These faculty members are authorized to advise research theses and dissertations of students in radiological sciences. Students are notified of their advisor and are asked to schedule to meet with them. The student is asked to discuss study plans with their advisor at least once a year but preferably twice a year. Each student has the option at any time of changing faculty advisor simply by requesting the action in a formal letter to the COGS.

Faculty Research Advisors report on their students at the beginning of the calendar year to Chair of the Curriculum Committee, who then reports to COGS. If a student's progress is not acceptable, the advisor documents this and develops an action plan with the student. The student is given a year to improve and will then be re-evaluated.

INFORMATION FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

Students may apply for admission to The Graduate Program to begin the Fall or, in special cases the Spring semester, of each academic year. Applications for the Fall semester must be received no later than March 1st, and all application materials must be in The Graduate Program office no later than April 1st. Applications for the Spring must be received no later than October 1st, and all application material must be in The Graduate Program office no later than November 1st. Due to course scheduling, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for the Fall semester. If all application material is not received by the specified deadlines, an Admission Recommendation form is sent to the Associate Dean indicating rejection because of an incomplete application file, noting those items that are lacking. An applicant can reapply for the following semester once all pending materials have been received.

CURRENT STUDENTS

Student Representatives

• Trish Tynan: Student Representative to the Radiological Sciences COGS.
• Leland Page: President of the UTHSCSA Graduate Student Association.

List of Current Students

Admission Requirements & Procedures

The graduate program encourages inquires from prospective students. The Program Director or Academic Coordinator will send a reply, typically by e-mail, that informs the prospective student of application deadlines, admission requirements, academic backgrounds expected and the competitive nature of the admission process.

Registration

At the beginning of each academic year, students are provided with an Academic Schedule of Events for the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Prior to the semester, students are given a course schedule. The student will register for courses online via the UTHSCSA Portal.

Teaching Assistantships (TA's)

A limited number of teaching assistantships (TA's) are offered each Fall semester to students who have been accepted into the program. Special Students are not eligible for teaching assistantships. The Graduate Program in Radiological Sciences does not offer funding to students pursuing a Master's degree.

Qualifying Examinations

Policy on Student Vacation and Travel

Course Schedules

Withdrawal from the Graduate Program

IMPORTANT FORMS

RADIOLOGICAL SCIENCES ALUMNI


Over seventy faculty members, students and alumni of the Graduate Program in Radiological Sciences gathered for a luncheon at the AAPM Meeting in Houston in July 2008. Dr. Robert G. Waggener, who is retiring, was honored for his decades of service to promoting graduate education in medical physics at UTHSCSA. Click here to see a list of the Graduate Program in Radiological Science's distinguished Alumni.





GRADUATE SCHOOL LINKS

• Faculty Senate
• Graduate Student Organization
• Student Services




Academics	UTHSCSA Radiological Sciences main page • Prospective students • Current students • COGS • Courses
Degree Programs	PhD in Radiation Therapy Physics • PhD in Medical Diagnostic Physics • PhD in Radiation Biology • PhD in Human Imaging • PhD in Neuroscience Imaging • MS in Medical Health Physics • MS in Radiation Therapy Physics • MS in Medical Diagnostic Physics
Facilities	Researh Imaging Center • Cancer Therapy and Research Center • Audie Murphy VA Medical Center • University Hospital • Texas Cancer Clinic • Brooke Army Medical Center • Wilford Hall Medical Center •
People	Director of the Graduate Program • Faculty • Faculty research advisors • List of current students • COGS student representative • Alumni